Juvenile Delinquent
by Xenitha
Summary: A fourteen year old Dick Grayson is arrested for possession of illegal drugs for sale. To Bruce's dismay, Dick is sentenced to an out of state school for troubled youth which has had unsavory rumors circulating about it for the past year. Dick will find more than he bargains for there. Rated M for adult themes.
1. End-Run

The telephone rang at Wayne Manor that night with what Alfred later decided was an ominous tone. He picked up the handset, expecting that it would be young Master Dick, asking for a ride home from the birthday party he was attending.

"Wayne Manor," the butler answered. He listened to the voice on the other end of the line and his eyebrows shot up to his forehead. "Excuse me, sir, but you must be mistaken. You are referring to Richard John Grayson?" Alfred nodded as the other party responded, then replied, "I will transfer you to Master Wayne's line immediately, sir." He pressed the hold button, then depressed a recessed button on the side of the telephone.

"Sir, I am afraid that there is a rather urgent telephone call for you, regarding Master Dick," Alfred said in a toneless voice.

"Dick? Isn't he at Jimmy Turlock's birthday party down by the river?" Batman's voice echoed and Alfred could hear the sound of bats in the background. "Is he all right?"

"He is uninjured, sir," Alfred responded. "He is, however, in the juvenile lockup at this time. The party was raided on suspicion that illegal drugs were being consumed and sold. Master Dick was found with several packets of...er...methamphetamine in his jacket pocket. They are releasing him to you for the time being until he can be tried on the drug charges."

Batman mysteriously appeared next to the telephone. He pulled down his cowl and consciously schooled his face to his usual look of amiable stupidity and picked up the phone. "Yes? This is Bruce Wayne. What has Dick gotten into now?" he asked cheerfully.

Although his voice never changed, Bruce Wayne's face went from concerned to thunderous. "What is he being charged with?" he asked. "Possession for sale?! How much meth was he carrying? How can you be sure somebody didn't slip it into his jacket?" Bruce listened to the reply, his face first going red and then icy white. "I see. We will be there shortly to pick him up." He hung up and ran a hand over his face, rubbing his eyes fiercely.

"Sir? Surely there is some mistake..." Alfred asked piteously. "Master Dick would never..."

"He admitted that the entire supply was his," Bruce snarled. "He told them he planned to sell the meth at the party to get more pocket money. He wasn't drunk and didn't appear to be drugged, so I have no explanation for his statement." Bruce turned his back on Alfred and sprinted upstairs to his room to change. He returned momentarily in a conservative suit. His face held more anger than Alfred had ever seen in either Bruce Wayne or the Batman.

The butler said nothing but brought out the Bentley, hoping that a little extra space between Masters Bruce and Dick would help to soothe things. He didn't believe that Master Bruce would become violent with Master Dick, but he could sense the depth of the man's disappointment in his son.

* * *

Bruce Wayne was grim-faced when the police brought out his son and he didn't bother to try to hide it. The desk officer took his name and soon returned with a teenager shuffling behind him, wrists cuffed behind him. Dick looked rumpled but defiant but refused to meet Bruce's or Alfred's gaze. The cop undid the restraints and returned to the back room, leaving Dick frowning and rubbing his wrists.

"Here's his court date, Mr. Wayne," the booking sergeant said, handing him a colored piece of paper. "Since he's only fourteen, he'll be tried in the juvenile court. You'll be glad to know that there won't be any press allowed in there, since the proceeding is confidential."

Wayne took the paper and scanned it briefly. "I'll refer this to our attorneys." His eyes fixed on his son like twin lasers. "Come on, Dick. Let's go home," he said quietly and grabbed Dick's arm.

When Dick tried to pull away, Bruce held on more tightly. "Oh no, you're not. You're going home and we're going to talk about this. All of this!" Dick looked up at Bruce under dark brows but said nothing, finally allowing himself to be led to the car. Bruce held onto him until Dick was inside the car and all the doors locked. Alfred sat uneasily in the driver's seat and set out for home.

Both Bruce and Dick remained silent and glowering during the ride home. Alfred's brief attempt at conversation gained him matching bat-glares, leaving him to meditate on the clear physical resemblance between the two even though they were not blood relations. He sighed. This was not going to be an easy evening at all.

When they arrived at the Manor, Bruce gave Dick a long stare and said, "Up in my study. Now."

Dick stalked up the staircase with an angry and bewildered Bruce following him. How could his nice, well-behaved boy have turned into an adolescent drug dealer? Where on Earth had this come from? Sure, Dick's grades had been faltering, but he'd been spending a lot of time on patrol and with the Titans. Bruce frowned, looking at the stiffly set back of the boy climbing the stairs ahead of him. Could he be on drugs? Or, god forbid, manufacturing them? The manor property was big with plenty of abandoned sheds left over from its days as a farm. Dick was smart enough to cook his own product if he wanted to.

Inside the study, Bruce took a deep breath and sat behind his desk. He motioned Dick to take his usual seat. He wondered just what he'd done to ruin this boy. He'd done the very best he could but nobody would claim he was anything better than a middling father. Too much danger? Exposure to the criminal element? How had he failed Dick and could he recover the boy before something worse happened?

"All right," Bruce asked, steepling his hands. "What happened? Where did the drugs come from? I'm told you admitted to the police that they were yours."

"You won't understand," Dick said firmly.

"Where did the meth come from?" Bruce demanded. "Did you cook it yourself?"

"No!" Dick said. "I broke into the police evidence locker and helped myself. They really need to upgrade their system." For the first time, Dick's face dropped the sullen look, replaced by an expression of amusement.

"Did you break in as Dick Grayson or as Robin?" Bruce asked.

"I broke in last night as Dick Grayson. At least that's what the security cameras will show when they look at 'em later," Dick replied, with a look of veiled triumph.

Bruce's eyes widened as the light began to dawn. "You set yourself up. Have you already sent a press release to the Gotham News and Review?"

Dick was beaming. "Even better. I called in an anonymous tip to the Gotham Enquirer. All Hell will break loose tomorrow and all the gossip rags will pick it up. There's nothing you can do to stop it. Dick Grayson, juvie drug dealer and wayward youth will hit the press tomorrow, " he said proudly.

"Dick, I already told you. It's too dangerous! I won't allow you to go undercover to that boy's school," Bruce said. "And forcing the Court to send you there over my express wishes is...is..."

"Is an end-run around your overprotectiveness, Bruce," Dick said calmly. "Yeah, I'm steaming mad that you wouldn't let me go. One of my friends disappeared from that school, along with nineteen other kids over the past five years. I want...no, I _need_ to know what happened to him. And I'm the only choice for an undercover agent. You already told me that the plan was off. Well, I've set things up so that I'll be sent there, as a juvenile delinquent!"


	2. Arguing with Batman

CHAPTER 2

Bruce sighed and wondered if he'd been this big a handful for Alfred when he was fourteen. He leaned forward toward Dick, softening his voice. "Dick, there are reasons I don't allow you out on truly dangerous cases. You remember what happened..."

Dick leaned back in his chair. "Yeah, yeah, Two-Face," he said scornfully. "I was nine years old when that happened, five years ago! Since then I've fought Mr. Freeze, the Joker, Ra's Al Ghul, even Lady Shiva and survived! I can handle myself and you know it. And as for undercover work, I've backed you up enough times to know how it goes."

"Dick, you're talking about a school in Nevada, not in Gotham. I won't be there to pull you out of the fire if you need rescuing," Bruce said patiently. "You'll have no backup." Bruce shifted in his chair. "And I don't like the rumors I've heard about the place. I don't want you locked up in there."

"You went undercover alone, Bruce, before you had me," Dick pointed out. "They're only kids out there. And yeah, they're rough on the boys. So what else is new? Can't be any worse than some of the training you put me through."

Bruce took a deep breath and counted to five (he didn't think he'd get to ten). "Dick," he said carefully. "The training exercises are just that. It isn't my intent to hurt you, only to teach you to handle pain and stress. I don't enjoy the experience any more than you do. We're talking about a school rumored to have some fairly sadistic teachers against whom you won't be able to fight back unless you want to blow your cover."

Dick was silent for a long moment. "I thought about this long and hard before I set it up. My friend, Rufus Garrett was sent to the Hamilton Wilderness School just because he couldn't get along with his Dad's new trophy wife. All that crap about drug use and school absences wasn't the real reason. Rufus told me that Tiffany threatened to leave Mr. Garrett and put him through a messy divorce unless the kid left." Dick looked up at Bruce, blue eyes narrowing. "I know what it's like to be unwanted and sent to juvie prison just because nobody wanted to take me."

Bruce jerked as though he'd been hit in the gut. "Son, we fought for you, Alfred and I. Even with the best lawyers and an unlimited budget, we had to convince the authorities that I was a fit guardian for you. Because of my...playboy persona...that took some time...I know how bad it was for you, and I'll always feel responsible for what you went through there." He got up and squatted down next to Dick's armchair. Wrapping his arm around his boy's shoulders, he drew him into a rare hug, resting his chin on the boy's head. "After all that, I swore that I'd protect you personally from anything that might hurt you. That's why I leave you off cases that are too dangerous for you. And that's why I don't want you undercover there. I can't protect you."

Dick leaned in to the hug. He was a kid who craved touch but didn't get it very often. Still, he knew that he'd have to make Bruce understand that this investigation was necessary. He reluctantly drew away from Bruce and went to the computer. "Bruce, here's a dossier I prepared on the school. It was founded by a retired businessman, Jake Crenshaw, who claims to have been a sergeant in the Marines. He's turned the school, if you want to call it that, into a profitable enterprise." Dick clicked a few more buttons. "He's gone on t.v. shows and done magazine interviews to publicize his school. The trouble is, neither he, nor his staff have any kind of credentials for treating troubled kids, or even teaching experience. Parents have complained but the area is loosely regulated and none of the authorities seem able to do anything. See, here," he hit a couple more keys. "Jamie Alder, age thirteen, found beaten to death in the desert. School claims the kid ran away after he got into a fight. Mike Simmons, broken leg, School says he went on a hike and fell off a cliff." Dick spun around in his chair to face Bruce. "There are a lot of reports like this coming from Hamilton. And then, there are the so-called runaways. Bruce, it's not just for Rufus' sake. It's for all those other kids that supposedly ran away and just disappeared."

"How do you know they weren't just runaways? This is a school for troubled kids, after all," Bruce said, reading the screen over Dick's shoulder.

"They match a profile," Dick said, He punched a few keys and showed Bruce a spreadsheet with colored photos. "These are the traits that all these kids have. They're all between the ages of twelve and fifteen, slight in build, with dark hair and blue eyes. Generally, they're small for their age. They come from affluent backgrounds and aren't street kids." He got up and let Bruce have the chair.

Bruce read the spreadsheet minutely. As he looked at face after face, his own began to pale. Finally, he sat back in the computer chair, looking up at Dick's hopeful expression. "No. Absolutely not. You are not going to that school under any circumstances, Dick." He gave his ward a sharp look. "And I'll enforce this if I have to tie you down!" He got up and opened the clock. "It's time for patrol in any case."

"Okay, I'll be downstairs in a minute," Dick said, silently vowing not to take 'no' for an answer.

Bruce turned back and faced down his child. "No. You're benched until your legal problems are sorted out. You'll stay here with Alfred to watch you." He rang for the butler over Dick's angry protests.

"That's not fair, Bruce, and you know it," Dick shouted. "I set up the charges so that I'd be sent to Hamilton and you know it. None of it is real!"

His mentor swung around. "It's real enough for the time being. You're being charged with a felony, Dick, two of them when they see the film of you breaking into the police evidence room! I have good reason for keeping you off this case and I'm responsible for your welfare," Bruce said sharply. "You're grounded until the charges are resolved. I'll be calling Rae Green in the morning. Since this is your first offence, we may be able to get you off on probation instead of incarceration."

"No! The whole reason behind this is to send me to Hamilton! Bruce, I've got to find out what happened to Rufus!" Dick looked close to tears, but Bruce hardened his heart.

When the butler entered the room, he didn't see the comfortable accord he was used to seeing between his master and the boy. Instead, the two were glaring at each other even more sharply than before.

"How can I help you, sir?" Alfred asked.

"Robin is benched until after his case is resolved and Dick Grayson is grounded. Alfred, you'll take him to school and pick him up promptly at 3:00. Stay with him and keep him here at the mansion," Bruce opened a drawer in the desk and removed a small aerosol spray can. "Knock him out if you have to, but keep him here." Dick's history of disobeying orders and running away was known to both Alfred and Bruce.

Alfred reluctantly took the can, his gaze wandering from the boy to the father and back again. "Will this be a...continuing...event, sir?"

Bruce frowned harder. "As long as it needs to be." With that, he went down the elevator to the Batcave, leaving the rest of his family upstairs. As he retrieved his cape and cowl, he was surprised and dismayed to see that his hands were shaking. Quickly he locked down the emotion and restored steadiness to his body. He absolutely wasn't going to give in to Dick on this one. He'd take any measures necessary to keep the boy at home and safe.

Looking at the faces of the missing boys, Bruce had noted that each of the lost bore an uncanny resemblance to Dick Grayson.


	3. Media Circus

CHAPTER 3

MEDIA CIRCUS

The next morning's Gotham Globe carried a headline saying "Wayne Ward Arrested for Drug Dealing!" while the Gazette's said "Prominent Gotham Family's Shame". The local television morning show on WGCK covered the story with a long discussion of teen crime. Bruce read the paper in cold silence over the breakfast table as Dick tried to choke down his cereal. He didn't regret what he'd had to do, but the consequences were getting tough. Alfred looked sad as he poured Dick another glass of juice; clearly he'd been filled in by Bruce.

Bruce got up from the table and shot Dick an icy glance. Dick tried once more. "Bruce, the only reason I..." He stopped when Bruce raised a hand.

"I know why you did it. You explained it to me in...smug...detail last night. As I said then, you are grounded. Neither Dick Grayson, nor Robin will be seen outside these walls unless Grayson is attending school. I sincerely hope that Rae will be able to fix this mess you've gotten yourself into and that a criminal record doesn't wreck your college chances." Smacking the newspaper back onto the dining room table...hard...Bruce stomped out to work.

Dick noticed the camera trucks parked outside the gates of Wayne Manor as Alfred drove him to school. Fortunately, the rear windows of the limousine were tinted and the cameras couldn't see him. Of course, the cameramen still tried, running after the car as the gates swung open.

It was even worse when they arrived at Gotham Academy. The cameras were waiting for them. Alfred escorted Dick into the school through a hundred bright flashbulbs into the secured entryway. Even though he'd set this up, Dick was grateful that the school, which catered to the families of the rich, had security that could turn away the reporters.

"Now, Master Dick," Alfred said, glancing at the mob of reporters he could see through the clear glass doors. "I will return to pick you up promptly at three." He paused and searched Dick's face with his eyes. "You...er...will be here, won't you?"

Dick blushed and nodded. "Yeah, I'll be here Alfie. I'm not planning on doing a cut and run."

"Very well," Alfred said. "I will see you this afternoon, then."

* * *

Life at Wayne Manor was tense for the weeks following. Bruce's friend, Clark Kent, telephoned when he saw the reports on the newswires.

"Bruce, I heard about Dick," Clark said, holding the printout in his hand. "There has to be some mistake. Do you want me to write a rebuttal?"

"There's no mistake," Bruce's voice held controlled rage. "Dick wanted to investigate an out of state school for wayward youth and I forbade it. So, he decided to make sure he was sent there by the Court."

Clark paused to push his glasses back up onto his face. "He really had sixteen packets of meth in his pockets? Where did he get it from?"

Bruce closed his eyes against the pounding headache he'd had ever since the initial phone call had come in. "From the police evidence room. He broke in and, he says, he made sure that the security cams got his face. It's going to take some fancy lawyering to get him off these charges."

Clark gave a low whistle. "That's serious, even if he is a juvenile. Why can't he do the investigation, Bruce? He's been working solo on occasion since he was eleven. He's qualified."

"No," Bruce said firmly. "The school has a bad rep about the way they treat their kids; an unacceptable level of violence that Dick won't be able to defend himself from. And I'm concerned about what happens to the disappeared students?"

Clark frowned heavily. "They kill them?"

Bruce paused, tapping his fingers on the desk. "I don't think so. No, not immediately, anyway. Something worse. Clark, Dick matches the victim profile, almost exactly. And dammit, Dick knows it. That's why he told me that he was the most qualified to investigate this. And why I absolutely will not allow him to go."

"I see," Clark answered. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"The best thing you can do is try to tone down the news stories if you can. Dick also called in a tip to the Gotham Enquirer about his drug bust, trying to make sure I couldn't hush it up. I don't think he realized quite how big the feeding frenzy would get." Bruce toyed with today's newspaper, glanced at the headline: "Dick Grayson a meth-head?" and flipped it over.

"I'll do my best, but I don't have any control over the papers not owned by the Daily Planet syndicate," Clark promised.

"Anything you can do would be a help. Thanks, Clark," Bruce said and hung up the phone.

* * *

Alfred, updated by Bruce, unwillingly became Dick's guardian during any hours that the boy wasn't at school.

"I do not enjoy playing policeman, Master Dick," the butler commented as the two cleaned silver in the pantry of Wayne Manor. "But Master Bruce explained what you did and why. I must agree with him that your undercover proposal strikes me as abnormally dangerous." Alfred finished shining a ladle and replaced it in its case.

Dick glared at the silver teaspoons he was shining and polished them even harder. "Bruce doesn't understand that this is something I have to do. Nobody is taking this seriously, just because the victims are so-called juvenile delinquents. Half of them, their families don't even want them back! But Rufus is was...is...my friend. And I don't leave my friends hanging."

"Easy, Lad," Alfred said, quirking an eyebrow. "Polish any harder and you'll take the monogramming off. I know that you are upset, but you must acknowledge that Master Bruce has your welfare in mind."

"Yeah, well, Bruce can be a mother-hen sometimes," Dick muttered. "He'll have Rae Green get me probation, so I'm back where I started." He looked thoughtful, as though mulling over an idea.

"What was that you were saying?" Alfred asked, starting on the terrapin forks.

"Nothing," Dick said. "Nothing at all."

* * *

For the weeks following, the Wayne silver had never shone so brightly. Additionally, Dick had been introduced by Alfred into the intricacies of laundry as well as basic cookery. Alfred reasoned that, if the devil finds work for idle hands, Dick would never have an idle moment.

Even so, Dick had to admit that the cooking lessons, at least, would come in handy when he eventually moved out. Alfred had already told him about Bruce's sorry attempts at cooking in the past.

"Master Bruce is a very intelligent man, able to do almost anything when he applies himself," Alfred had said while teaching Dick to make an omelet. "However, cooking will never be his strong suit." The butler's eyes strayed to the large fire extinguisher that hung on the kitchen wall.

The week before Dick's trial was set, Bruce drove him to Rachel Green's office to prepare. Dick found himself tugging uncomfortably at the tie Bruce had insisted he wear along with his blue suit.

"You will cooperate with Rae's defense of you," Bruce said grimly, steering the Jaguar through Gotham's streets somewhat faster than he usually did.

"What do you care?" Dick muttered. "You're just worried that I'm tarnishing the Wayne name or something."

"Do you think I want you sentenced to Juvenile Hall or the Boy's Ranch? Your position as a Wayne has nothing to do with it, Dick," Bruce looked dead ahead. "And you can't sulk me into letting you take that case, either!"

"Sulk? Is that what you think I've been doing?" Dick was outraged. "I'm just trying to get you to take me seriously. I feel just as strongly about this investigation as you do any of yours. The fact that the victims are kids like me shouldn't be relevant!"

Bruce spared him a glance. "The fact that the victims **are** kids **like you** makes it relevant, extremely so. Each one of the missing boys could be your brother...or you..." Bruce's voice trailed off and he focused intensely on the road.

Dick leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest. "So, now we come to the point. Yes, it will be dangerous. But I've been in danger before, Bruce. Yes, you won't be there to protect me, but I've faced death all alone before. I'm trained. I'm ready!"

"Whoever it is may be gunning for _**you**_! Hasn't that occurred to you?" Bruce demanded. "He's been getting by with copies so far, but you're giving him the real thing!"

"We don't know that," Dick said, looking at Bruce. "Besides, Hamilton School is in Nevada, not Gotham. The bad guys have probably never seen my face. Maybe I look like somebody's lost son, or favorite school bully. The point is, until we gather information, we won't know what's going on."

Bruce clenched his teeth hard. "The answer is still 'no'."

They arrived at Rae's office and Bruce escorted Dick in. Rae greeted both cordially, then sat Dick down in a chair. "Tell me what happened?" she said.

Dick looked nervously at Bruce. "I...um...broke into the Gotham Police Department evidence locker and stole 16 baggies of meth. When I was at a friend's birthday party, the police came and found 'em in my jacket."

"I understand that the police security cameras got you on tape," Green said calmly. "And that you confessed everything to the police," she paused and looked at Dick. "Do you know what Miranda rights are?"

Dick nodded. "Yeah, they can't question you without a lawyer."

"Not exactly. The police have to warn you that if you make any statements, they can be used against you and that you have the right to a lawyer if you want one. Did they give you the warning?"

"No, they didn't. The cop just came up to me with my jacket and asked me if the baggies were mine and I said 'yes'. I told him everything," Dick replied.

"Did you feel that you had to answer his questions?" Rae asked.

"Well, yeah. I mean, he pulled me into the a corner of the living room and started asking me questions. And he had my jacket with my cell phone. I wasn't going anywhere," Dick said.

Bruce, more up on the Miranda rules than Dick evidently was, breathed a sigh of relief. The boy had put himself into the cage but hadn't managed to lock the door yet.

Rae was looking happier as well. "This is something we can use, Bruce, to get Dick's confession thrown out. Unfortunately, Dick wore the jacket to Juvenile Hall, so he can still be connected to it, but it's helpful. I'm going to have a talk with the D.A. and see what kind of a deal we can make. If necessary, would Dick accept a plea of 'no contest' with community service?"

"Hey! N..." Dick started to say when Bruce interrupted him.

"Yes. Yes, he would," Bruce said firmly, glaring Dick into silence.

Rae looked from one to the other and finally shrugged. "All right, I'll see what I can do."


	4. Success?

CHAPTER 4

When Dick's trial, or "Jurisdictional Hearing" as Rae insisted on calling it, finally came a week later, the entire Wayne household greeted the day with relief. Both Bruce and Alfred had been watching Dick like a pair of hawks, waiting for the boy to break loose and run for it. Dick, who had no intention of running (before the trial, at least), was tired of being watched and micromanaged.

Bruce had continued his cold and silent manner with the boy, cutting off Dick's attempts at explanation or argument. Even Alfred wasn't able to make peace, which, Dick reasoned, was saying something. Bruce had _never_ been this mad at him before.

But trial day arrived and Alfred drove Bruce and Dick to the Gotham County Juvenile Court building. Again, the press was out in droves. Dick sighed, finally realizing just what he'd unleashed. Fortunately, the police held back the reporters enough for the little family to get inside the courthouse. They were escorted into a courtroom where they found Rae Green already waiting.

She smiled and shook Bruce and Alfred's hands, then paused before Dick. "Good morning, Dick, how are you today?" she asked.

Dick shrugged and took his seat. Bruce sat next to him and leaned over to talk to Rae, with Dick in the middle. "Well?"

Rae smiled. "I think that we can avoid a trial. The DA agrees that since Dick has a traumatic background, it's his first offense and he never actually sold anything, he'll be let off with probation and community service."

Bruce exhaled and slumped back into his seat in relief. "Thank goodness. That's a relief, isn't it Dick?" He elbowed his ward.

Dick's eyes were focused on the middle distance. "Yeah. Great," he said absently. Bruce's gaze sharpened but the boy gave nothing away.

Soon, the prosecutor arrived and nodded to Rae. The judge took up her place at the bench and the proceeding began.

The judge looked over some papers in her file and stared, first at the prosecutor and at Rae Green, then finally at Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson. "Am I to understand from this that you've reached a plea bargain?"

"We have, Your Honor," the prosecutor said. "The Minor will plead no contest to a lesser included charge of petty theft and we recommend a sentence of one year's probation and one hundred twenty hours of community service."

The judge snorted and fixed an irritated gaze at Rae. "I don't need to ask you, Counsel, whether this is acceptable to you. The boy was caught with sixteen baggies of crystal meth which he'd personally burglarized from the police evidence locker. If this boy belonged to any other family, he'd be spending some time at the Hamilton School for Boys...Tell me why I should approve this?"

Rae Green stood up and cleared her throat. "Your Honor, Dick has had a traumatic life. When he was only eight, he witnessed the murder of his parents by a small time extortionist. Dick, himself, was the chief witness in Tony Zucco's trial and had to live under police protection for his own safety. It isn't surprising that the boy has trouble with boundaries. This was only a childish prank. Dick never attempted to sell any of the drugs, nor did any of the other guests at the party have any idea that he even had them on him."

The judge just sniffed and trained her glare at Dick. "And you, what do you think?"

Dick frowned and stood up, a smug, rich-boy look on his face. "I think I deserve special treatment because I'm a special person. I'm not like all the other doofuses out there; I've got money and a name behind me. People like me don't go to kiddie jails and we sure don't go to pathetic schools like Hamilton. That's for losers."

The judge was silent a moment, her gaze growing more and more irritable by the second. Dick glanced at Bruce and saw that his face was white and getting paler, but his guardian couldn't do anything to shut him up since he'd been asked a question by the judge. Stifling a grin, Dick decided to lock it down. "And I suppose I could hire a servant or somebody to do the community service," he drawled. "I suppose my pocket money would extend to that and still leave something over for beer."

Bruce glared at him, then seemed to make a decision. He stood. "Your Honor, may I be heard?"

"Oh, by all means, Mr. Wayne," the judge said in an ironic tone. "Maybe you can shed some light on this...situation..."

"Hearing what Dick has to say this morning brings me to a conclusion I have been hesitant to reach, Your Honor. I think that he does need a school like Hamilton and I, myself, would like to send him there rather than waiting for the Court to sentence him to it. Dick has some remaining...behavioral...problems stemming from his past and it might do him some good to be in a different environment for a while." Dick could read Bruce's expression as though it were a billboard: 'Okay, this is what you wanted. I'm giving in. See how you like it.'

Rae jumped to her feet. "Your honor, if you could see your way clear to allowing the plea-bargain, we can have Dick on a plane for the school by the end of this week. Please, give him another chance."

The judge looked at all the parties, including Dick, who had slumped and put an abashed expression on his face. "All right," she sighed. "But he stays in that school for at least one semester. I'm making that an order of this court, along with probation and community service. And Dick," she said, her small green eyes cold, "If I ever see you in my court again, it had better be as a witness."

"Yes, ma'am," Dick gulped.

"All right then, jurisdiction over the minor is found with the plan to be as already discussed. Court is adjourned."

Bruce didn't say anything to Dick until they were safely in the car. "I hope you're satisfied, Dick," he said coldly. "You've manipulated and maneuvered until you got what you wanted. I just hope that you don't find yourself regretting this later. You're going solo."

"I'm sorry, Bruce," Dick said. "I really am. But I have to know and this is the only way to find out."

Bruce looked out the window in frustration. "Just remember, you're there as Richard John Grayson, not as Robin. You won't be able to defend yourself at the level you do now. You'll have to hold back."

"I understand," Dick said. "Bruce...I promise. I won't let you down."

Bruce turned back to his ward. "That was never my fear."

HAMILTON SCHOOL

40 MILES FROM PAHRUMP, NEVADA

Paul Hamilton scanned the application for the newest student of his school for boys. When he saw the boy's name, he shrugged. Another bad kid to instill with a sense of discipline. Drugs, too...and this one looked like he was smart. Well, he'd see about that. The boy's initial indoctrination would have to be focused and intense. He turned over a page and saw the boy's photo. His face curved into a slow smile that didn't reach his eyes. Still smiling, he closed the file and picked up the phone. "Harrison, I have a new student for you to escort in. Yes...he's a referral from the Juvenile Court... Gotham City. He's going to be one of our 'special' students, so make sure he gets here. You'll be coordinating with..uh...Alfred Pennyworth. No, not the father, he's some servant of the family... Oh yes, very wealthy apparently. No, that won't make a difference, Richard Grayson will run away just like all the others." He closed his file and leaned back thoughtfully in his chair.


	5. A Little Bird in a House Full of Cats

CHAPTER 5

"A little bird in a house full of cats."

Bruce went silent, his face cold and still. Oh, he was really, really mad this time. Dick couldn't contain himself. "Bruce, I'm sorry I pushed you into this, but it's really important to me."

"So I gathered," Bruce sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I thought that judge was going to have a stroke right then and there."

"So…uh….why did you give in? I know how set you were against my going to that school," Dick's curiosity, always present, clearly needed satisfaction.

"Dick, you were charged with not one, but two felonies," Bruce ticked off his fingers. "One, possession of methamphetamine for sale, and two, burglarizing the police evidence room. You freely admitted to both and you could have ended up in a youth prison for several years, depending on how angry the judge got." Bruce cast a sardonic glance Dick's way. "And I can tell you that you truly managed to piss her off. In all likelihood you wouldn't have seen the light of day until you were thirty-five!" Bruce's face sagged. "You've made your bed, son, and now you get to lie in it. I won't be able to help you. I have a series of meetings in Japan that I have to attend. I'm flying out tonight."

Dick's face dropped. "Oh. Okay. I understand." He looked up again. "It's my case and I'll work it the way you taught me to, Bruce."

"I'm sorry, chum," Bruce said. "I did warn you."

"In the meantime," Alfred said from the front seat. "I shall organize your kit for the school and otherwise make the necessary arrangements, lad. You won't be all alone."

"Thanks, Alfred," Dick said, the flush of victory fading away. He'd fought so hard to be able to conduct this investigation that now, after he'd won, he felt…empty. _Straighten up, Grayson! _he reminded himself. _You asked for this and you got it. Now you need to plan, just like Batman would do._

Dinner was quiet, as Bruce seemed to be meditating to himself and Dick felt embarrassed about the whole thing. He'd won, sure, but at what cost? He'd manipulated Bruce into doing something he clearly didn't want . Dick sighed and played with his fork.

"Master Dick, you aren't eating. You should enjoy my gourmet cooking while you can. I thought you liked soufflé."

"I do, Alfred," Dick said dully. "Um…Bruce?"

"Yes, Dick?" Bruce said, looking tired over his coffee cupl.

"I'm…I'm sorry, I did all that. I know all you want is to keep me safe. And I know how lucky I am that somebody cares what happens to me," Dick's expression grew solemn as he remembered those terrible days at the youth center when nobody wanted him. "I just want you to know. I apologize. I hope you're not still mad at me," he said softly.

"I'm not mad at you," Bruce replied. "I'm just worried about you and unhappy at this pit you've dug for yourself. I understand your need to help your friend and that you want Robin to work independently on occasion. I guess you're just growing up and I have to get used to that."

"As long as you aren't mad," Dick said with a cheeky grin. "That's all I care about."

Dick and Alfred saw Bruce off at the airport. Dick was conscious of a lump in his throat as he watched the Wayne Enterprises private jet take off. He really was on his own for this one. He hoped…no, he straightened up…he knew he could handle it.

Alfred watched the boy with wise eyes. "Master Dick," he said. "You will be leaving for school in two days. We should go home and finish packing."

Dick watched Bruce's jet trail off into the distance and nodded. "Okay, Alfie. Let's do this."

* * *

TWO DAYS LATER- MORNING

3 A.M.

Dick woke from a deep sleep to the sound of his bedroom door being slammed open. A tall, burly shape rushed over to him and pinned his arms to the bed before he could react. Automatically, Dick kicked at the attacker and managed to get a good hit to the guy's gut before the man used his superior strength and weight to wrestle him back to the bed.

In the meantime, Dick was shouting for Alfred at the top of his lungs. When Alfred didn't come, he became certain that they'd somehow incapacitated or…killed?...the old man. What a thing to happen when Bruce wasn't home to help defend Wayne Manor. Still struggling, Dick was pulled upright by his hair and first one hand and then the other locked into handcuffs. Still kicking, the boy was shoved facedown onto the bed and his ankles shackled as well. A low, grumbly voice said in his ear, "So, rich boy, you wanna fight back? Let's see how much fight you got left when I'm done with you…"

A second tall man entered the room and turned the lights on. Dick was blinded for a second, then saw that the second man wore a gray suit. "Who are you? What do you want? Money? Bruce has it in spades! Call him! He'll pay you anything you want, just don't hurt anybody… And where's Alfred? What have you done to Alfred?" Dick looked around wildly as he was hauled out of bed and dragged to the door of the bedroom. Kidnap. This was obviously a kidnap. They had waited until Bruce was gone and moved in to kidnap him. But what happened to Alfred? He swore to himself that if they'd hurt the old man, they'd pay, and forget Bruce's strictures against killing.

Dick made his body limp, so they'd have to drag him out the door. Unfortunately, they both clearly lifted weights and carried him out easily. Dick's resistance continued until they got to the front door of the mansion. There, standing next to the open door, was Alfred, looking pale and distressed. Dick's suitcase sat on the floor next to him. At that moment, Dick felt his heart begin to break. "Alfie….?" He whispered.

"Are you quite sure, Sirs, that this is required in your treatment protocol?" Alfred asked. "The young master is not accustomed to being manhandled. I wish that Master Bruce were here to discuss this with you."

The man in the suit smiled easily. Dick could see his gold cufflinks sparkle in the light of the foyer chandelier. "I assure you, Mr. Pennyworth, this is absolutely normal. We usually find that it's necessary to escort our students to the school. If they know about it in advance, they often run. This really is the best way to handle it. And since young Richard is known to be an athlete, we felt that the personal touch was more important."

Alfred met Dick's eyes as he answered. "Of course, Mr. Hamilton, we wish to follow all of the standard protocols required by your therapeutic approach. Master Bruce was most disappointed in the recent changes in the young Master. I know that he feels strongly that Dick needs no special favors because of his status as Mr. Wayne's ward."

The suited man, Mr. Hamilton, said, ""Trust me, Dick will be treated like any other student. The next time you see him, you'll find a well-behaved, happy young man. Our methods work; the court that sent him to us did the kid a favor."

Dick got Alfred's point. Stay in character; this was all part of the charade. Okay, he could do that. He started kicking and screaming again. "Alfred! How could you? When Bruce gets back I'll make sure he fires you! You'll never work as a butler again after this! Let…me….go!" Dick aimed both his feet in a kick to his captor's shoulder, forcing him to drop the boy. Before he could scramble to his feet and away from the men, Hamilton had grabbed him and put him into a chokehold. Couldn't breathe….the world swam into a kaleidoscopic series of images until the last thing he saw was Alfred's horrified face before the world went gray.

Dick woke up in a small airplane. He kept his eyes closed, listening to the sound of the engines. He heard the two talking. One was in the seat next to his, the other must be piloting. Carefully, he tested his feet and found he was shackled to the seat…and so was his right hand.

"So, you're awake," said Hamilton. "No use keeping your eyes closed, kid. I can tell by your breathing that you're awake and I see that you've already discovered that you aren't going anywhere."

Dick opened his eyes and scowled up at Hamilton. "Bruce won't like the way you're treating me. He's rich and powerful. He'll sue you and you'll lose everything you own, down to your cufflinks!"

Hamilton's lips quirked into a smile. "Will he now? Well, Master Dick," he said, imitating Alfred's accent. "The Court put you into our hands, and that makes you ours until your time is up." He leaned back in his seat and let his eyes wander over Dick's body in a proprietary way.

Dick had a sudden urge to shiver. Nobody had ever looked at him that way, not even master criminals who were trying to kill him. "Aren't you going to tell me to behave?" he asked, forcing a confidence he didn't feel.

"No need," Hamilton stretched and reclined his seat. "You'll behave. You'll do exactly as you're told, in exactly the way you're told to do it. You're no different from any other boy we've ever seen. Your orientation will start as soon as we land."

* * *

PAHRUMP, NEVADA

MOTEL 7

A tall, unshaven man opened the door to his room and sighed with relief when the air conditioning hit him. The climate here in the high desert wasn't what he was used to. He locked the door behind him, kicked his shoes off and sat on the bed. He pulled his laptop from under the bed and flipped it open, activating it.

"Alfred, how did it go?" Bruce ran a hand through his newly dyed red hair.

The screen flickered to life, showing Alfred, clearly in the Batcave. "Good afternoon, sir. I trust your trip has been fruitful so far."

Bruce grinned, showing crooked and stained teeth in a weatherbeaten face. "Success. I have a job as the Hamilton School's newest kitchen helper."

"Oh dear," Alfred said dolorously. "You weren't able to find a position as a stable hand or physical education trainer?"

"No, all full up," Bruce replied. "Besides, how hard can it be? You gave me some quick lessons in cooking and I won't be responsible for preparing any meals except when the cook has a day off."

Alfred seemed to bite his tongue. "When that eventuality arises, remember that you can count on me for simple recipes and advice."

"I'm not worried, Alfred," Bruce said. "Any intelligent man can follow a cookbook's instructions."

"Ah yes Sir, just so," Alfred said, biting his lip. "Well, the young master has been taken away as we foresaw, although I must admit that it was as painful for me as it was for him."

Bruce clenched a hand into a fist. "They didn't hurt him, did they?"

"No, I believe not," Alfred said. "Although one of them applied a chokehold to unconsciousness, he did appear to be skilled enough not to hold it long enough to kill. I was, of course, ready to intervene had Master Dick faced any real danger." Alfred paused, a sad look in his eyes. "Still, had you seen the look of betrayal on the lad's face when he realized that I knew about this plan…I felt quite the Judas."

"Well, remember Alfred, this is Dick's case by his choice. I don't plan to intervene unless he needs help. He wants to be independent, so I'll allow it, but…"

"But you will keep an eye on him just the same," Alfred said. "I am so glad, Master Bruce. The boy is still very young." The butler focused on Bruce's face. "Might I compliment you on your disguise, Sir? I would not know you did I not recognize your voice. The teeth add a certain distraction, and I've never seen you with red hair."

Bruce grinned, showing the teeth to full advantage. "I don't think they'll confuse me with Bruce Wayne any time soon. Well, Alfred, I think I'll get some sleep. I'll be looking over the place before dawn tomorrow morning."

"You do that, Sir," Alfred replied. "And take good care of young Dick."

"Oh, I will. Count on it," Bruce said and signed off.

* * *

SMALL AIRSTRIP

40 MILES FROM PAHRUMP, NEVADA

It was dark when the plane landed. Dick couldn't see any lights or even tell how the pilot identified this chunk of dirt as an airstrip, but neither man seemed concerned.

As the plane rolled to a stop, Hamilton got up and reached for the key to Dick's shackles. "I'll let you walk, boy, to save you the indignity of being carried in. But give me even a little bit of trouble and I'll sling you over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes."

Dick glared at him, still conscious of his earlier feelings of disquiet about this man. Somehow, he didn't want this guy to touch him. "I'll walk," he said.

"Good. This is Harrison," Hamilton gestured toward the other man. "Needless to say, Harrison doesn't like you very much right now. If you try to run, you'll shoot yourself in the foot. See, we're in the middle of the Nevada desert and the nearest town is forty miles away. If you do run, Harrison will be the one to go after you, and you don't want that. There's nowhere to run to in this neck of the woods, so don't even try. Understand?"

Dick looked up at the smoldering glower Harrison shot his way and nodded. Nope. No running. Not yet, anyway.


	6. Huddled in the Dark

CHAPTER 6

Dick unwillingly let Harrison help him out of the plane and onto the dirt. He was led over to a big SUV and put into the back. He noticed that a wire screen separated the passenger compartment from the front seats. After a ten minute drive on a dirt road, he saw a brightly lit compound on the horizon. It was surrounded by a chain-link fence topped by razor wire and lit up as bright as day. A cluster of small wooden buildings sat in the middle of the area, surrounded by nothing but dirt. The SUV drove up to a guardhouse and, after a brief greeting from Harrison, they drove in. The buildings looked like barracks to Dick, except for a central two-story building with a small shed next to it.

"That's the administration building," Hamilton said. "That's where the classrooms are and my offices. After orientation, you'll be placed with a group in a bunkhouse." He pointed toward a long, low building. "That's the dining hall and kitchen." He gestured toward a group of nicer buildings, recently painted. "Those are staff quarters. You aren't allowed over there and you'll get punished if you're found there without staff permission."

"Yes sir," Dick mumbled, visually mapping the compound's layout and memorizing it.

The SUV stopped at the small shed next to the house. Hamilton got out first, followed by Harrison, who let Dick out of the car. "Harrison will begin your orientation. Things will go easier for you here if you just follow orders, Dick. Remember that." With that, Hamilton climbed the stairs to the administration building and disappeared through the double doors.

"C'mon, kid," Harrison said, grabbing Dick's cuffed arms. "Here's where you'll be spending the next couple of days." He led Dick over toward the shed, which turned out to be a small, windowless cottage with a single door. "Take your shoes off and give 'em to me," Harrison said. Puzzled, Dick obeyed and handed the shoes to the man, who tossed them toward the SUV. "This is the segregation house. This is where we put students who don't obey orders. And everybody stays here during orientation." He opened the door and pushed the boy inside, flicking on a light switch after Dick stumbled in.

The room was barren, with a single recessed bulb illuminating it. The floor was concrete, sloped down to a drain in the center. The only furniture consisted of a mattress with a blanket folded on it. Dick looked around and realized that there were no windows and no bathroom. No heat, either, and they'd taken him in his pajamas, only letting him wear shoes at Alfred's insistence. Remembering his role as a spoiled rich kid, Dick sneered at the mattress. "With all the money you're charging my guardian for my stay here, you'd think you could spring for some furniture. And where is the bathroom? And my stuff? And when are you going to take these stupid handcuffs off?"

Harrison stepped inside and closed the door behind him. He said nothing but pulled his leather belt from his pants and held it coiled in one hand. "You earn privileges here by following the rules and not talking back," Harrison said, approaching the boy. "Privileges include food," he said, snapping the belt against the palm of his other hand. "And water." *snap!* "And sanitation." *snap!* "And clothing." He uncoiled the belt and the blows began.

Dick was torn between the survival skills Batman had taught him and the need to maintain his cover. Dick Grayson, spoiled rich kid, simply didn't have Robin's defensive capability. But Dick Grayson, former star of Haly's circus, still could dodge and weave. Trouble was, the walls were featureless, there was nothing to grab onto with his cuffed hands and he had no weapons. His eyes narrowed and he dodged, escaping the first strike with the belt. To Harrison's increasing frustration, Dick danced out of his way, executing flips and somersaults to keep him just an inch or two out of danger. Dick couldn't suppress the grin on his face as he..Robin!...avoided yet another murderous bad guy.

Harrison must have caught the grin, because his face became thunderous. Dick noticed, too late, that unlike most evil-doers, Harrison didn't get sloppy when he was furious. He got cold instead, and methodical. As Dick kept dodging, he discovered that he was being herded into a corner of the room. Every attempt he made to get around or over Harrison was met with a blow.

Finally, the man had him cornered against the painted brick walls of the room, in the corner farthest from the door and escape. "Think you're smart, dontcha?" Harrison, at least six feet two, loomed over a shrinking boy wonder. "You're rich, privileged...You got it all, huh? Well, you don't anymore. Your family put you here and you'll stay till we say you can go!" Down came the belt and Dick couldn't avoid it, but neither could he hide the defiance that shone from his eyes.

He kept that defiance in his heart and blessed Batman's rigorous training in pain control. When the beating was inevitable, you rolled with each blow as much as you could and tried to minimize damage. He took it and cried out artistically each time he was struck to keep Harrison from increasing the force he used. Dick Grayson, spoiled rich brat, was soft. Robin, the boy wonder, was hard as steel, he reminded himself.

Harrison left, whistling, forty five minutes later, convinced that he'd cowed the newest student of Hamilton School. Batman's young overconfident partner thought that Harrison might just be right. Harrison locked the door behind him and the light went out, leaving the boy in pitch darkness. Dick Grayson, curled up and sobbing, only half-faking, waited till long after the man had left before he tried to move. From his corner, he crawled painfully over to where he thought the mattress might be. His pajamas were shredded and the cement floor, crumbling in spots, left bits of gravel adhering to the torn skin on his knees and legs. He felt at his puffy lower lip. It had finally stopped bleeding, although his cheek and jaw were still numb from Harrison's last, open-handed blow.

He found the bed and wrapped the blanket around himself. It was none too clean, but at least it covered him. He huddled into a little ball to conserve body heat and began to focus on the mental techniques Batman had taught him, for pain relief, for clear thinking, and most of all to control his fear .

He was on this one alone, by choice. What would Batman do? He'd try to escape, that's what. Dick creaked his way to his feet and limped his way along the wall of the room. He guided himself by running a hand along the wall at his side. The door had to be here somewhere...ah! There it was. He tried the knob. Locked. Anything to pick it with? He sighed. The picks were in his shoes; damn, these guys were good! He felt along the side for the hinges and found that they were on the outside of the door. He couldn't take them apart to get the door open either. Nothing on the door was going to give way, everything was solid and the door itself was steel, recessed into a steel frame. Where did all this cold air come from? Maybe there was a vent he could climb through. Dick looked up into the darkness. No good. At least, not until morning. Nothing to do but rest till then. He found the mattress again and drew the blanket around himself again.

Dick shivered through the night and wondered, not for the first time, whether he'd been an idiot to set this whole thing up. Well, it was too late now. No sense crying over what he couldn't change; gotta look forward. He began to wonder just how long he was going to be stuck in here. He realized that his bladder was full. Great. No bathroom. But wasn't going to piss in his mattress...Oh. That's what the drain was for. Great accommodations these guys offered.

He crept his way out of his makeshift bed and felt around until he found the grating. Before he used it, though, he tested it to see if it would come loose and make a weapon. Darn! No such luck, it was fastened down. He did his business and moved carefully back to the mattress to wait for morning.

He must have fallen asleep, because he dreamed that he was in his bed at Wayne Manor and Alfred was serving him a breakfast of Belgian waffles with whipped cream and strawberries. He could almost taste them when he heard a loud bell ring somewhere outside, and the sound of a hundred kids running. He rubbed his eyes and supposed it was morning, except that the darkness in the room was unbroken. No, wait...there was a crack of light where the door was and more toward the ceiling. As the sun rose, he saw there were brick openings near the roofline, four of them, two on each end. And each opening was about the size of a brick itself. No good. He was stuck here until they deigned to release him.

The sound of kids died away and the smell of food cooking came through in the cold breeze. His stomach was soon growling and worse, he was thirsty. The hunger didn't matter, he could live a week without food. But water was a more important thing...No, they wouldn't kill him. They had to keep him alive. He represented revenue for the school, from Bruce and from the Court. If he died on their watch, there might be an investigation. No...they might call him a 'runaway'. Was that what had happened to all the missing kids? Were they really buried out in the desert somewhere? He pulled his blanket more tightly around himself and huddled into it.


	7. Dick Gets a New Name

CHAPTER 7

An hour or two later, he heard the bell again and the sound of children's feet running. The smell of food told him it must be lunch time. He sat back on the mattress, stomach growling and his mouth painfully dry. He reminded himself again that they weren't likely to kill him…he meant money to them. Then he heard a sound at the door.

It opened and Dick held his arm over his face to temper the blinding sunlight that flooded in. "It's time for you to start school. You ready to follow orders?" Harrison's harsh voice came from the dark figure standing in the door.

"Ye..yeah," Dick stuttered, his voice hoarse. He limped over to Harrison, careful to stay out of arms reach. Harrison gave out a braying laugh and grabbed him by the forearm.

"C'mon, rich boy. I'll take ya to your cabin. You're in number four with all the other malcontents," Harrison tugged at the boy's arm and forced him across the paved road to a small barracks-like structure. Harrison pushed him through the door, where Dick saw his small suitcase on a top bunk in a room filled with bunk beds. He was next to the window, he noted.

"You got the empty bunk, nearest the window. Coldest, too. When another boy leaves, you can switch. If the other kids in the cabin let you, that is. Your locker is this one," Harrison pointed out a small locker in a larger row.

"But there's no lock on it," Dick protested. "My stuff'll be stolen!"

"That it will," said Harrison. "But students aren't allowed to lock anything. Not doors, boxes or lockers. Counselors have access at all times to search for liquor, cigarettes," Harrison leered. "Or drugs, meth-head."

"I never took the stuff," Dick said. "I just tried to sell it. I'm not _that_ dumb."

Harrison shrugged. "You were dumb enough to get caught, so here you are. You screw up, you get punished. You just experienced punishment and segregation. Do you want to repeat it?" At Dick's head shake, Harrison went on. "Get dressed. Your shoes are next to your suitcase, for as long as you'll be able to keep 'em. Dining hall is on the other side of the 'box' where you spent the night. Toilets and showers are next to the dining hall. Shower every morning or when you need it." Harrison wrinkled his nose. "You'll have to skip today but you'll want one tomorrow." He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. "Here's your schedule. After lunch, report to room one in the admin building for your first class." He handed it to Dick. "Well? What are you waiting for? Get dressed!"

Nervously, Dick pulled some clothes out of his suitcase. He stripped off the pajamas while Harrison watched his every move and stiffly donned jeans and a t-shirt. As he bent to tie his shoelaces, Harrison commented, "So, what's with the bat on your t-shirt? You a fan of the Batman?"

Harrison said it with scorn. Dick stiffened. "I'm from Gotham City. He's the City's protector…and hero."

"Uh huh. Weird hero for a kiddie crook like you to have," Harrison shrugged and gestured towards the door. "Okay, you're hungry enough that this'll be the one day you won't have any complaints about the food. C'mon."

Dick followed and was soon led to the building next to the 'box'. It was packed with boys of all ages and sizes. He saw kids ranging from eight to eighteen at the tables. Each table had a beefy-looking student monitoring the occupants. Harrison took him through the cafeteria line where Dick received runny mac and cheese, some overcooked vegetables, a cupcake and a roll with a carton of milk. Harrison took him to a table and sat him down. "Jeremy here will be your guide for today. He's one of our older students and knows the ropes. Be sure you do what he tells you or you'll be spending the night in the box again." With that, Harrison left.

"So, you're Dick Grayson," Jeremy said, reaching for Dick's cupcake. "You won't need that," he said, taking a bite. "Son of a billionaire, huh?" Jeremy said indistinctly, chewing on the cupcake. Dick wanted to pound him but kept his face still and his body language submissive.

He nodded and plowed in to his macaroni, fearful of losing that, too. "He's my guardian, actually," he said, between quick bites. He sized up the other kid. Jeremy was tall and bulky with a layer of fat covering big muscles. Dick knew the type; had fought them at Batman's side multiple times. Small time thugs, available for hire, not smart enough to become crime bosses themselves. Jeremy looked to be about sixteen or seventeen with a bad case of acne and dark hair in a buzz cut.

"Eat your vegetables," Jeremy grinned, chocolate crumbs between his teeth and reached for Dick's bread roll. "And drink your milk. If we have dessert or anything chocolate, like chocolate milk, I get it. Or if there's bread with the meal, it's mine. You get whatever else is there unless somebody else wants it." He sneered. "Nobody likes spinach, so it's yours _Dick_." He said it with that insulting intonation that often came when people found out Richard's nickname.

Dick sighed but didn't react. He'd finished the macaroni but was downing the milk and the spinach. "If anybody doesn't want their spinach, I'll take it," Dick offered. He needed to keep his strength up if he was going to be giving the lion's share of his calories away. Good thing he liked spinach. The other boys shrugged and soon Dick had a plateful to work through.

"Maybe we shouldn't call him Dick," said one kid. "How about Garbage Disposal?"

Jeremy, watching Dick closely, saw him cringe at the name. He grinned. "Okay, Garbage Disposal it is, or GD for short. So, I'm supposed to show you where your classes are." He stood up and Dick saw that he was nearly six feet tall. "C'mon."

Dick took a last bite of his spinach and got up. Jeremy didn't slow down for him, so Dick was forced to limp after. But that was okay, because he was accustomed to keeping up with Batman. Batman—he frowned a bit. Wearing the t-shirt was a mistake but he'd chosen it for comfort. It reminded him of what he was going back to and that he hadn't lost it.

Jeremy led him into the administration building and down a long hallway. "You missed your morning classes, but this one is American History in room one. Jeremy held his hand out for Dick's list, which Dick hurriedly supplied him. "You're upstairs for the next two classes…uh…English and Math. Then you report to the training field after school for P.E. When you're done with P.E. you'll hear the bell for Dinner. After dinner, your time's your own until lights out at ten. You get up at 6:00 a.m. with the rising bell. They give you a half hour to shower and dress, then show up for breakfast at 6:30. Don't be late or you won't get nothin'. We got some hearty eaters here and they don't save leftovers for anybody. Tomorrow morning after breakfast come back here to the first floor for Group and Science class." Jeremy handed the list back. "And on Sunday they give us waffles with syrup. I get yours. You eat the eggs that come with. Got that?"

Dick nodded. "Yeah. I…uh…guess I'll see you back at the cabin later. Thanks for showing me around, Jeremy. I appreciate it."

Jeremy briefly looked surprised. Dick didn't think he'd been thanked very often. "Well…okay…I'll see ya tonight," he said and disappeared down the hall. Dick went into the classroom and found a seat.

"You're sitting in my chair," said a boy at his elbow. Dick looked and found a tall, blond boy in the next chair over.

"But you're over there," Dick said. "This one was empty."

"I get both of 'em, new fish," the boy said. "Looks like you spent your first night in the box."

"Does this happen to everybody?" Dick asked. Maybe he wasn't Harrison's personal project after all.

"Oh yeah. Everybody spends their first night there and has a session with Harrison. You look more battered than most of us. You musta fought back or something. And you're still in my chair."

Dick got up and sat in the row behind. "Or something…How about this one?"

The kid thought for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, you can sit there." The kid grinned. "Until I tell you not to, anyway. So what's a little kid like you doing in this class?"

"I dunno," Dick looked around at the boys filing into the room. They were all tall and in their late teens. "This is where they told me to come." He pulled the paper out of his pocket and showed it to the kid.

"Yeah, you're in the right room." The kid shrugged. "I'm Chris MacArthur, family failure and general screwup. Who're you?"

"Dick Grayson," Dick replied and continued watching as the room filled. The kid's snicker made him sigh again.

"Hey, G.D.! Looks like we're in the same class," said one of the kids from the lunch table, sliding into the seat next to him.

"G.D.?" asked Chris. "I thought his name was _Dick_," he said and snickered again.

"Nah, Jeremy decided that 'cause he eats stuff nobody else likes we'll call him Garbage Disposal or G.D. for short," the new kid said. He had dark hair and dark eyes. "I'm Pete Sabatini. Thanks for eating my spinach for me. Can't stand the stuff but they got a clean-plate rule here." He eyed Dick. "What are you doing in _this _class? This is the advanced American History, not the junior level."

"I don't know," Dick said. "Um…it's one of my favorite classes back home. Test scores, maybe?"

Pete frowned briefly. "Could be. But just don't show any of us up or you'll make some enemies pretty fast."

"Okay," Dick said, shrinking down into his seat. He could almost feel the undercurrents running through the room.

"So, which cabin did they put you in?" Chris asked.

"Number four?" Dick said and watched as the boys traded meaningful looks.

"Shoulda known by the way he looks," Pete said. "No point in making friends with you, then. You won't be here very long."

Dick sat up straight. "You mean, they'll send me home soon?" he asked disingenuously.

"No, you'll 'run away'," Chris said bitterly. "You'll go where the other kids from Four go, wherever that is."

"What's wrong with the way I look?" Dick asked.

Chris and Pete exchanged looks again. "You've got a girly look to you, G.D. The kind _they_ like. Blue eyes and dark hair and you're short. They aren't interested in big guys like us." Dick heard the unspoken 'Thank God' in their voices.

"A…friend…of mine goes to this school," Dick said carefully. "Rufus Garrett. I was wondering if you know him? I really want to find him and tell him I'm here too."

The two boys went silent as the class' teacher came in.

Dick sat through the rest of his school day and was a little surprised that anything was taught at all. He didn't find the classes very challenging but evidently many of the boys he shared the classrooms with did. He was always the youngest and smallest in any of his classes, clearly the more advanced level ones offered. He hadn't thought about much about what a good school Gotham academy must be, until he saw the level that the other boys here were at. He didn't like pretending to be dumb, but he'd already learned not to show up the other kids in class if he wanted to blend in.

The academic part of the day over, he followed the other students to the field. In the "locker room" he was given a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, which he put on, then headed out to the field. What the school called a 'field' was nothing more than a big patch of dirt with a path running around it. Harrison was there, in shorts, t-shirt and a whistle. Great. He was the coach. At his direction, Dick and the other boys began running around the field. And running. And running. Dick was still limping, so he trailed the pack and came in for the abuse Harrison had to dish out to the slow ones.

"C'mon, slowpoke! Pick it up! Pick it up! What are ya, a girl?" Harrison shouted at Dick. Dick tried to run faster but his leg wouldn't let him and his limp got worse the harder he worked it. Through the shouting, he could see a grin trying to break through. Harrison was enjoying this.

When one pudgy boy turned his ankle and stopped, Harrison stood over him, shouting until the boy was helped up by his friends and started moving again.

Dick tried to stay in the middle of the pack, avoiding any of the leaps, flips and handsprings with which he usually peppered his runs with Bruce. At the end of the run, he gratefully gimped after his fellow classmates to the showers.

In the locker room mirror he got his first glimpse of Harrison's handiwork. His legs and arms were covered with welts and the left side of his face had a big handprint, which marked where Harrison had slapped him. "Wow," Dick murmured, putting a hand on his jaw, which still hurt.

"Well, you're part of the club now, G.D.," said Chris, snapping him with a wet towel. "We all looked like that the first day. You get used to it. You get away, if you can."

Dick looked around and saw the array of bruises and welts on the bodies of the other boys. "Does this happen a lot?"

Chris shrugged and pulled his shirt on. "Less than when I was at home. I try not to stick out too much, or talk too much during group. I've got my own bed and the food's regular. I got no complaints."

Dick was pulling his clothing on and digesting this when he heard the dinner bell. The boys immediately took off running, although from the quality of the food, Dick couldn't understand why. He looked around the cafeteria and realized that all the tables were filling up except for the one supervised by Jeremy. That's why the boys ran so fast, to get a good table. He sighed and realized he'd be giving up most of his dinner.

He was one of the last in the cafeteria and got into line with his tray. As at lunch, there were four men behind the counter, slopping food into the trays or handing out cartons of milk or juice. Dick limped up the line and put his tray in front of a server. A red-haired man ducked his head when Dick stood before him and gave him a heaping serving of that night's stew. Dick gave him an absent thank you and moved on, missing the burning look in the man's blue eyes when he spotted the boy's limp and the marks on Dick's arms and face.

* * *

HAMILTON SCHOOL KITCHEN

AFTER DINNER CLEANUP

Sal, the cook, had had his doubts about the new guy as a cook's helper. Still, they guy worked hard, he had to admit. The guy, what was his name? Malone. Yeah, that was it. Anyway, Malone had peeled a pile of spuds that morning and, after a few false starts, had seemed to get the hang of it. He seemed to know his way around a knife, cutting carrots and vegetables for the stew with increasing skill. He washed dishes with thoroughness, but seemed a bit slow. Sal would have to work on that with him.

In fact, he'd worked so hard today that Sal put him on the serving line to give him a break before dish duty. To Sal's amazement, Malone strode over to the pile of dirty dishes and began scrubbing them almost maniacally.

"Hey, Malone!" Sal called. "Don't take the enamel off them things! We gotta use 'em tomorrow, okay?"

"I'll get 'em..." Malone muttered under his breath. "I'll get 'em all!"

"Yeah, I know you'll get to all the dishes, Malone 'cause that's your job! Just don't scrub 'em so hard, huh? They gotta last the school year!"

Malone turned blazing eyes to Sal, who immediately worried that the guy was gonna punch his lights out. Then Malone calmed. "Yeah, I'll take care, Sal. You won't haveta buy any new pans when I'm done with 'em. I'll be more careful." Malone laughed a little and was more gentle with the pans. What Sal didn't see was the cold, fixed look in Malone's blue eyes.


	8. On the List

CHAPTER 8

Dick went back to Cabin #4 and found that he was the last one there. He opened the door and it was like looking in a mirror. Occupying the cabin were three boys with dark hair, blue eyes and pale skin. One was taller than Dick and two were shorter, but all had basically the same build.

"Looks like we got a newbie," said the tall one. " 'Abandon all hope' and so on."

"Showoff," said one of the short kids. "Ignore him. Just 'cause he thinks he's smart, he keeps muttering those weird quotations. I'm Chase," he said, hauling himself onto the other top bunk. "The freak is Tyler. And the runt is Jake."

"Hi," Dick said with a hopeful smile. "My name is Richard but my friends call me Dick." He waited for the sneers to start. To his surprise, they didn't.

"Yeah, well I'm not gonna laugh at your name. You and I oughta be friends, Dick," said Chase. "We both lost in the naming lottery. How'd you like to be named for a bank? My sister Tiffany, she's named for a lamp. Tells you what my parents were thinking when we were born."

The other kids nodded. "Your parents didn't want you?" Dick asked.

"No way, no how," Jake said. "I started stealin' to get their attention. I got it, all right. They sent me here to this flea-pit." His blue eyes grew hard. "Now I gotta get away if I can before I disappear like the others."

Now they were getting somewhere. "Kids disappear?" Dick asked.

"Kids like us," said Tyler. "You've got the look, too. We're doomed."

"Well, maybe you're doomed, Ty," Jake said. "Me, I'm goin' over the wire. Or under it, before they can disappear me like they did Rufe."

Dick pulled a chair over between the beds and sat down. "Did Rufus Garrett stay here?"

"You knew Rufus?" Chase asked and jumped down from the bunk bed. "Where?"

"He was my friend at school in Gotham City," Dick said. "I heard about him running away from here and….kinda forced my guardian to send me here."

"Stupid move, Dick," Jake said. "Real stupid. You won't find Rufus here anymore. One night and *poof!* he was gone!" Jake made a snapping motion with thumb and finger.

"Did he run away? Where did he go?" Dick asked.

"He got called to the Office and never came back," Tyler said glumly. "And Rufe and I had a chess game going. I was winning, but he never came back to finish."

"Yeah, Harrison told us that Rufus ran away after he left the Office," said Jake. "We knew he was lyin'. Sure, Rufe hated it here, but he was gonna stick it out and see if his Dad would let him come home."

"What do you think happened to him?" Dick asked.

The other three boys shared looks before Tyler shrugged. "We don't know. There are rumors, but…."

"What? Space aliens took him? That's a buncha bull!" Jake said. "I'm more inclined to believe that Hamilton and Harrison sold him."

"What for?" Dick asked, looking at each boy in turn.

"What do you think, for?" Jake demanded. "What is it your parents warn you about strangers for, huh? Rufus was short, like Chase and me. Ty's been here the longest and seen most of 'em go. Why? They prefer the little un's. No, Chase and me…and now you, Dick…we're goners."

"I keep telling you, I saw a bright light in the sky the night Rufe disappeared," Ty said patiently.

"It was a helicopter, idiot!" Jake said. "We all heard it take off. Then Harrison came in the next morning and packed all Rufus' stuff to send to his family. And that was it."

"Were any of you here when the other kids went missing?" Dick climbed up to his bunk and sat on it.

"I'm the only one," Tyler said. "And okay, maybe it was a helicopter…Anyway, the last two before Rufus, there were bright lights in the sky."

"Yeah, Jamie and…what was the other kid?" Jake asked.

"Bob, I think it was," Tyler said. "They went together. Both were sent to the box for something and supposedly got let out a day later, but we never saw them again. So, you aren't planning to run are you, Dick?"

"Not unless I have to," Dick replied.

"Don't even joke about that," Chase said. "The last unsuccessful runaway 'fell' over a cliff and broke his leg. Actually, Harrison did it himself, out there," he pointed. "In the desert."

* * *

After closing the kitchen for the night, Malone made his way to the staff quarters. Each worker had a room to himself in what were obviously old converted barracks. Gratefully, he got to his room and opened the window, drawing the curtains so that he had a clear view.

He had seen Dick go into Cabin #4, fortunately well within view of his own window. He put a pair of binoculars to his eyes and began to watch. His vigilance was rewarded several hours later, long after lights-out for the students, when he saw a small figure climb up to the rooftop of the cabin. The figure stood, silhouetted against the full moon, then sat down on the ridge-tree. The night was cold, but Dick didn't seem to feel it. Malone wished with all his heart that Batman could join the boy on the rooftop and reassure him that he wasn't all alone. He sighed. No, he'd told the boy that he was on his own. He had to trust that Dick knew enough, after five years as Robin, to conduct his own investigation.

He'd worried about the rumored brutality of the teachers here and had seen evidence of it when Dick showed up in the cafeteria line. Still, Dick seemed to be doing well enough. Although he'd had to give his dessert and chocolate milk to the bully at his table, he'd been able to eat the bulk of his dinner. Dick was a survivor; how could he have forgotten that? If his charm couldn't see him through, his acrobatics or self-defense skills would.

Malone put down his binoculars and closed the drapes. He had a long day tomorrow and hadn't slept well since Dick was sentenced. It was comforting to know that the boy was safe enough for this evening, at least.

* * *

CABIN #4

Dick woke the next morning to the sound of the bell. He saw his cabin-mates frantically dressing, then running for the showers. Dick followed suit and was soon in the steaming locker room. He took his clothes off and shoved them into a locker, then went to the shower area. There was a line, and although he had arrived before some bigger boys, he got pushed to the end, where he waited as patiently as he could, while the older boys used all the hot water. At the tail end of the line, Dick was finally able to shower in lukewarm water that slowly changed to cold. Shivering, he wrapped his towel around himself and went back to the locker where he'd left his clothing.

His shoes were gone. The brand new sneakers that Alfred got at Nieman Marcus! They cost five hundred bucks and he'd only owned them for a month. Alfred would kill him for losing them! In their place sat a ragged pair of Keds, about the same size as Dick's shoes.

Grumbling under his breath, Dick got dressed (including the ratty shoes) and went to the cafeteria. He was the last one in, of course, and had to sit at Jeremy's table again. He kept a sharp eye out but didn't see his shoes on anyone there.

Today's breakfast was French toast, so Dick just handed the plate to Jeremy. Dick was allowed to keep the scrambled eggs that went with it and soon discovered why. "Gaaaah, these are powdered eggs!" he said and took a long slug of milk to wash them down.

Jeremy, placidly masticating his pile of French toast, smothered in syrup, gave a chuckle. "You didn't think they'd buy real eggs for us, didja?" He burped. "Lots of the food we get is Army surplus. Cheaper that way."

Dick pondered a moment, pushing the 'eggs' around his plate, then assumed his most charming smile. "Jeremy, you've been here a long time, haven't you?"

"Yeah, about four years," Jeremy said. "What about it?"

"Did you know any of the kids that ran away?" Dick focused on his 'eggs', hoping that the bully wouldn't take offense at his question.

"I knew a few of 'em. Most of them looked a lot like you. Not as cooperative, though," Jeremy said, continuing to shovel breakfast into his mouth.

"What do you think happened to them? Really?" Dick asked and handed Jeremy the syrup for his next stack of French toast.

"Thanks." Jeremy took the syrup and poured the rest of it on his plate. "It's not smart to ask about that, G.D. People who get too curious about things here have a habit of 'running away' too. 'S just a warning, y'know. You're a nice kid and I'd hate to see what happened to them, happen to you."

"What happened to them?" Dick asked in a low voice.

"Nothin' you want to think about, Bro," Jeremy said and stretched his arms. "Although, with your looks…? You're already on the list. Sorry, but there's nothin' you or I can do about it."

"What list am I on?" Dick asked, almost desperately, as Jeremy got up from the table. "What list?"

Jeremy looked down and Dick and grunted. "Shopping list." He walked away.

* * *

The red-headed kitchen worker was cleaning up the cafeteria line with his attention focused on Dick. He overheard Jeremy and paused for a moment, his brows coming together in a frown. Jeremy clearly knew more than he was telling. Maybe Batman would pay the kid a visit tonight.

Bruce kept watch on Dick, pushing his breakfast around on his plate. Even with the unwanted food from the other kids, Dick wasn't getting enough calories. He resolved to find a way to slip the kid something to eat; he must be starving. "Hey Sal," he said to the cook as he carried the pans back into the kitchen. "You wanted me to head into town for supplies? I can go now, if you want."

Sal brightened. "Sure, Malone. Thanks for remembering." He pulled a crumpled list from his pants pocket. "Here's the list. Just charge everything to the Hamilton School. Go to the Southside Supermarket. We got an account with 'em."

"Will do," Malone said and removed his apron, then took the keys off the hook by the door. Outside the kitchen was the van used to haul those groceries that weren't delivered directly. He put on his sun glasses and climbed into the van and was soon on his way to Pahrump. The van rattled down the dirt road and eventually met the highway. That was when Bruce began to notice the billboards and his frown got deeper. When he'd learned that the school was located near Pahrump, Nevada, he'd smiled grimly. Pahrump, the city best known for the sheer number of legal brothels resident in the town. He passed the sign for the Chicken Ranch, then for Sheri's, then for half a dozen others. 'Shopping list', Jeremy had said. Some other kind of brothel might be operating in the shadows here, supplied by the school? If it were, he was pulling Dick off this case, right now!

During their years as the Dynamic Duo, Batman had taken great care to shield Robin from the more sordid crimes in Gotham…especially those that involved children his age. He suspected that Dick knew more than he let on, but it wasn't something that Bruce discussed with him willingly. Bad enough that the boy had been exposed to the level of violence out there, without seeing the face of pure evil so clearly.

He found the Southside Supermarket easily and talked to the manager. The shopping list was pretty basic. They needed some fresh staples that the Army surplus food didn't provide (here, Bruce's lip curled). He pulled the van up to the rear and the supermarket staff loaded it up with vegetables too old or overripe for ready sale, some bags of greening potatoes, raw meats just past their sell-by date.

While they were loading, Bruce cruised through the store itself. He found the granola and energy bars and looked through them carefully, finding a brand that he knew Dick liked. He bought a box of a dozen and took them to the checkout counter.

The disinterested clerk rang it up and asked, "Charge it to Hamilton School?"

"No," Bruce smiled, showing his crooked teeth. "They're for me. Here," he reached out a battered wallet and peeled off some bills. "That oughta cover it."

She snapped her gum and nodded. "Okay," she said and put the bars into a plastic bag. "Anything else I can getcha?"

"No, that's fine," Bruce said. "I better go see if my van's ready. Thanks!" When he got back to the school, he'd find a way to slip the box into Dick's bed, so he'd find them tonight. Let him wonder who had left them there. And tonight, the Batman was going to have a quiet little chat with Jeremy.


	9. An Old Enemy

CHAPTER 9

Dick had his own problems that morning. His first 'class' of the day was Group. He showed up at the room assigned and found a circle of chairs filled with other boys and a female 'counselor'.

"All right, boys," she said, pleasantly enough. "Today we're going to talk about our families. I want you to dig deep for those feelings and try to express them fully. Let's start with Bill." She looked expectantly at a blond kid in jeans.

Bill looked like a bug pinned under a microscope. He hemmed and hawed and finally said, "my family loves me. That's why they sent me here so I could get better."

"You feel rejected, don't you, Billy? Your family couldn't stand you and shipped you four states away to rot. They never call. They never write. That makes you feel like shit, doesn't it?" the counselor said cheerfully.

Dick couldn't believe what he was hearing. This woman couldn't be a real psychologist...could she? "That's not fair!" popped out of his mouth before he realized it. The counselor's head swiveled toward Dick.

"Oh, a comment from our newest student. Dick Grayson, right?" she said.

At his nod, she went on. "You certainly must have some family issues to share with us, don't you? Let's see, your file says that you watched your parents murdered at the age of eight and were taken in by a wealthy guardian in Gotham City. I also see that while he's had custody of you for six years, he's made no attempt to adopt you. Doesn't that make you feel somehow second-best, Dick? He's had every chance to make you his own son, but hasn't taken it...How does that make you feel?"

Dick could feel the heat rising in his face. "Bruce has his reasons," he sputtered. "He loves me like a son. I know he does!"

She looked at him with contemptuous pity. "And what does the rest of the group make of this?"

A red-headed kid, older than Dick, snorted. "You're just fooling yourself, Grayson. You're the one Bruce Wayne took in, right? You're just a publicity stunt to him, like a pet."

"No! It's not like that!" Dick shouted desperately.

"Well he obviously doesn't want or need a son," a freckled kid in khakis said. "He hasn't bothered to make it official, has he? You were probably something he added to his list of things he wanted but didn't have...let's see-got the fancy car, got the mansion, got the super-model girlfriend...what do I need now? I know! A kid!"

"It's okay, Dick," the counselor said kindly. "Most of the kids at this school have parents who don't really care about them. Now tell us something about your guardian. Why do you think he sent you here?"

"Um...Because I got caught with sixteen baggies of meth at a party," Dick said, glad to finally be on familiar ground. "He didn't want me to go to juvenile hall, he said."

"So he dumped you," the freckled kid said. "Just like my parents dumped me. Why is he your guardian anyway? You a relative?"

"No. He felt sorry for me after I lost my parents. His died too, when he was about my age," Dick said softly. This was all getting much to deep and close to the bone.

"A charity case? Probably gave Mr. Wayne some good P.R. I'm sure you feel rejected, Dick, since he sent you away," the counselor offered. "Tell us about how much you hate him for that."

"But, I don't..." Dick started.

"Of course you do," the counselor said and began to grill him even more.

By the end of the session, Dick was in a cold sweat and hoped he hadn't disclosed any secrets. He'd been raked over the coals by every kid in the room, reminded of how worthless a gypsy circus brat was, and how unrealistic he was expecting Bruce Wayne to give a damn.

He bumped into Chris on his way to his science class. "So, GD, you look pretty shitty. What's up?" Chris asked.

"I just got out of Group and..." Chris stopped him.

"Group, huh? Let me give you a little free advice about Group. Never tell the truth in there. They'll take your secrets and twist them against you. That so-called counselor hasn't even been to college. She doesn't know what she's doing and makes it up as she goes along. Hamilton hired her because he's cheap! When they pick on you, just make something up! Nobody tells the truth in group!"

Dick sighed with relief. Maybe there was nothing wrong or strange about his loyalty to Bruce. And Bruce had only fought against this undercover work to try and protect him. Okay, reality had righted itself. He felt better now. He hurried, trying to get to his next class. He stopped when he heard the sound of a helicopter coming in. He went to a window and watched it land in the barren flat that the school called the P.E. field.

In the distance he saw a tall, bespectacled Asian man in a gray suit alight from the copter. He was met by both Hamilton and Harrison, then escorted into the Administration building. Something about the man in the gray suit looked vaguely familiar to Dick, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Frowning, he realized that the hallway was empty and raced to his next class. The punishment for tardiness didn't bear thinking about.

* * *

HAMILTON SCHOOL

PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE SUITE

"Mr. Pak! How very good it is to see you again so soon," Hamilton said effusively to the Asian man, now seated in a chair. "And tell me, how is the Generalissimo? Happy with his latest purchase?"

Mr. Pak's sour face grew even more vinegary at Hamilton's question. "The purchase in question has died," he said shortly. "He was unable to...endure...the power of the Generalissimo's regard." He sat up more stiffly. "In fact, my employer is quite disappointed in the quality of your last shipment. He has commissioned me to acquire another, healthier specimen." Pak adjusted his glasses and glared at Hamilton. "Hopefully a boy who has not lived at your school very long and consumed the unhealthy diet served here."

"I...see," Hamilton said, leaning back in his chair. "We may have just the boy to suit his needs. A new student, only been here two days, but I must warn you, the youth is athletic and has a troublesome nature. He was able to do some damage to Mr. Harrison while we were escorting him to the school." He gestured towards Harrison, who nodded vigorously.

"Mr. Pak, I'd ask you to reconsider your request," Hamilton went on smoothly. "Our newest student hasn't been tamed yet and may cause considerable trouble for the Generalissimo..."

Pak cut him short with a wave of his hand. "No matter. I have my instructions and will carry them out. And, in any case, the Generalissimo has a large security staff. When the boy finds himself far from home and friendless, he do as he is told. Now. May I take delivery today?"

Hamilton nodded. "Very well. I think the boy in question is in class right now. Mr. Harrison, will you arrange it?"

Harrison left the room.

Mr. Pak pulled a large wad of cash out of his briefcase and laid it on the table. "My employer wishes for you and Mr. Harrison to join him at his private island as well. He wants to meet with you personally to assure himself that you understand his requirements and are able to fulfill them, as well as keeping these transactions confidential."

Hamilton tucked the money away in a drawer. "Of course, we're happy to meet with such a distinguished client. Both Harrison and I very much enjoyed our last visit and look forward to meeting with him again. When do we leave?"

"As soon as the boy is loaded. We'll all travel together," Pak said crisply. "I must admit that this was all a great deal easier when my employer was collecting young blonde girls."

"I do understand, Mr. Pak. But please be assured that we do our very best to acquire boys that fit the Generalissimo's new specifications. Ah, here is Harrison and the boy."

The office door had opened and a scowling Dick Grayson was frog marched into the room, his hands and feet shackled with Harrison behind him, glowering. Hamilton and Pak noted the fresh black eye and split lip adorning Harrison's face.

"As you can see, Mr. Pak," Hamilton said. "The boy is fairly boisterous. But if you believe that you can handle him, we're happy to supply him."

Pak opened his briefcase again and removed a pre-loaded syringe. "That can be dealt with easily enough. This should keep him out for the duration of the flight. Hold him still, please," he said to Harrison.

Harrison clamped his arms around the struggling boy. As Pak drew nearer, Dick's eyes widened. He knew who this man was! He knew where he was going and the monster who awaited him there. He began to struggle harder, biting frantically at Harrison's arm and hands. Pak moved in quickly and injected the boy with the chemical, draining the syringe.

Slowly, the boy's struggles began to falter until he slumped against Harrison. "I'll take it from here, Harrison," Hamilton said, wrapping a series of blankets around the boy. "You go have the nurse look at those bite marks. We'll leave when you get back."

* * *

Bruce had just entered the school gates when he saw the helicopter take off. Damn! What had happened in his absence? Another boy dropped off? Or one taken away? He pulled a receiver out of his pocket and checked it. The signal was steady and showed that the transmitter was sending its signal from nearby. Dick, and the shoes that he'd put the transmitter in were both here at the school. If anybody had been taken, it wasn't Dick.


	10. From the Frying Pan into the Fire

CHAPTER 10

Author's note: The flashback involving the Mad Hatter and Generalissimo Lee is taken from "Robin Year One". The base plot and much of the dialogue was written by Chuck Dixon and Scott Beatty.

* * *

Bruce pocketed the receiver and drove the van to the rear of the kitchen building where he unloaded it with Sal's help. He'd missed the lunch run, but he'd see Dick at dinnertime.

"Thanks for getting all the stuff, Malone," Sal wheezed as he hefted boxes into the walk-in refrigerator. "That's one hellacious drive to town!"

"No problem, Sal," Bruce replied, beginning to chop vegetables for yet another stew to be served that evening. He peeled the onions deftly, as Alfred had shown him, and said, "So what's the deal with the helicopter I saw taking of when I arrived? Somebody's parents come visiting?"

Sal was silent for a moment, rearranging the boxes with studied attention. "Nothin' much. Hamilton gets business visits from time to time," he said. "It isn't anything you should talk about."

"Why not?" Bruce asked, beginning to chop the onions. He wiped at his eye with the back of one hand. How Alfred chopped onions day after day in the Manor without showing up with red eyes was beyond him. He tried a shot in the dark. "Anything to do with the missing kids?"

Sal dropped a box, then heaved himself over to pick it up again with a muttered curse. "Now why would you think a thing like that?" he demanded.

"Something one of the kids said…he thought that the runaways weren't actually runaways. He said they were taken by somebody…" Bruce peeled another onion and started on it.

"Don't you say nothin' about that to nobody!" Sal said, looking around nervously. "Lissen, you and me, we get a bonus, a real good bonus, four times a year. That bonus means we stay quiet about anything we see here. Got that? That means helicopters, missing kids, the works! That bonus makes up for living in the back end of nowhere."

"Okay, so I won't talk about it," Bruce said casually. "But that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to know what's goin' on…"

Sal took a large cleaver and began chopping cabbage. "I'll tell ya.." BAM! "once and once only. This is not.." BAM! "to be repeated. Especially where Hamilton can overhear ya, okay?" BAM!

"What? Are they crooks or something?" Bruce asked, eyeing Sal sharply. Generally, Sal was a cheerful, easy-going guy, but now he looked patently uncomfortable.

"Not exactly. At least, nobody could prosecute 'em here. It's been tried," Sal said, putting the cleaver down. "Like I said, you don't need to know. And trust me, you really don't want to know who they are." Sal was silent for a moment, thinking, then said, "I've been with this outfit a long time. I hate what they do to the boys. They're just kids, y'know? Maybe they stole a little, maybe they didn't get along with their families, but they're still people who deserve a fair shake. This school…When Craddock started it up, it was a fine place. Then Craddock died and Hamilton bought it."

"Go on," Bruce said, started peeling carrots. Sal calmed down a bit and continued working on the cabbages.

"Anyways, since then, it's been regular. The street kids, the ones who were professionals, y'know, before the juvie court sent 'em here, they get farmed out to 'foster homes'. 'Cept the foster homes are brothels in town that specialize in boys... And the kids in Cabin Four..."

"What about them?" Bruce said, eyes sharpening.

"They collect 'em here and ship them one at a time to some perv who lives overseas. Rich bastard. He's the one sends the helicopter. Nobody knows who he is or where he lives, just that he's far away. Hamilton's been sending him boys for the past five years...they all look about the same. Dark hair, blue eyes, short...They disappear and they never come back. Not even their families ever hear from them again."

"So who knows where the boys go?" Bruce began chopping the carrots with controlled force.

"Hey, that's a new cutting board! Go easy on it, willya? Anyway, none of us knows anything. Only Hamilton and Harrison have a clue. Safer that way. All I know is the same guy comes to pick the kids up, tall skinny Asian guy with glasses in a high-end business suit. Never heard a name. Okay, let's dump all this into the stew pot and finish the rest of dinner."

Bruce worked steadily but the niggling worry at the back of his mind kept growing. Which of the boys from Cabin Four had been taken? He wanted... no...needed to see if Dick was okay but couldn't risk checking on him because he'd blow his cover. He looked at the clock overhead and sighed with relief. Dinner time at last. He and Sal began to load the food into the trays on the cafeteria line. Sal put the last one in place and rang the bell for dinner.

As they did for every meal, the boys ran into the cafeteria and began to load up their meal trays. Bruce shoveled stew and kept his eyes peeled for one particular boy. He thought he saw him, then realized it was one of Dick's cabin mates, as much like Dick as a brother. He recalled that Dick tended to be the last in line for dinner and remembered the box of meal bars he'd gotten him; that should keep him from being hungry.

The final kids in line held out their trays for food and then Bruce was done serving. The cafeteria was full but Dick's usual place next to Jeremy was empty. Something was wrong. He began to scan the occupants of the cafeteria more sharply. Maybe Dick was seated elsewhere, not eating tonight. Or maybe he was in the box for some infraction. That must be it, it must...Bruce's eyes widened as he saw a blond haired kid seated at a table, calmly eating his dinner. He wore brand new shoes that looked exactly like Dick's. Bruce took off his apron and threw it down, slipping into the walk-in refrigerator.

A minute later, Batman appeared in the cafeteria and ran up to the kid wearing the new shoes. "Where did you get those shoes?" he demanded.

The kid's eyes widened. He scooted out of his chair and backed away. The cafeteria grew silent as the boys noticed the Bat in their midst. Batman paid no attention. He grabbed the kid by the shirt and lifted him a foot off the ground. "Where. Did. You. Get. Those. Shoes?" Batman spat out.

"I took 'em..." the kid's voice trailed off.

"Who did you steal them from?" Batman was inexorable.

"The new kid. In Cabin Four..." the kid said, tears forming in his eyes.

"Where is he?" Batman still held the kid suspended as the boy began to cry with terror.

"I dunno... I haven't seen him today...Please mister...please don't hurt me..." Batman took another look at the now sobbing boy and his face changed. He slowly lowered him to the ground.

Batman looked around the cafeteria. "Where is Dick Grayson?" he growled.

There was silence until a short figure pushed his way through the crowd. For a moment, Batman thought it was Dick himself, then he realized it was a boy from Cabin Four. "The helicopter took him," Chase said. "Harrison took him out of class, like they always do. Dick was struggling pretty hard, but Harrison punched him and hauled him out. Ten minutes later the 'copter took off."

"Where?" Batman demanded in a harsh voice.

"I don't know. Nobody knows where they take the kids. Except Hamilton and Harrison and they went too," Chase mumbled.

* * *

SOMEWHERE

Dick woke up feeling groggy and with a splitting headache. He opened his eyes to a blurry world. He was lying on something soft...a bed, he thought. But he felt cold...He sat up unsteadily and realized he was in his shorts and that was it. His blood ran cold as his analytically trained mind ran through the possibilities. He was alone in the room, thank God. He checked himself for injury and found nothing new. He decided that, for now, nothing had happened and he was fine. He also needed to get the heck out of here! He climbed off the bed and tried the door. Locked. And the door was made of steel with a metal frame, set into the wall.

He went back to the bed, noting that it was a twin bed with a sports-themed bedspread suitable for a boy's room. A huge flat screen television took up one wall and a game system was attached to it. A computer sat on a desk with various game controllers plugged in. He ran to the computer and booted it up. If he could get to the internet he could call for help and...ah, no...No internet access, just dozens of games.

He saw toys and sports equipment stacked all around the relatively large suite. Bathroom was fully stocked with towels and soap. Nothing to use as a weapon; no so much as a toothbrush or comb. Closet had no clothing in it, neither did the dresser.

There was nothing sharp anywhere, not so much as a pencil he could use to stab with. He ran his gaze along the ceiling. No vents. No windows. Lighting was recessed and...protected by bars...He bit his lip. Not lookin' good at all. Room decoration was painted on; no picture frames with glass or wood to turn into weaponry.

He was starting to fight down panic. He took a couple of deep breaths and did a quick mediation exercise that Bruce had taught him, then went to try the door again. He couldn't just sit still, he had to do _something!_

For the umpteenth time since his rude awakening and escort to the Hamilton School, Dick kicked himself for maneuvering around Bruce to investigate this case. _Okay, Bruce, you were right. I'm just a dumb fourteen year old who doesn't know my own limits. You're older, faster and smarter than I am. How 'bout you come and rescue my sorry ass?_

He sat down on the bed again, wrapping a blanket around himself. _Gotta try and think this through. Where am I? Probably somewhere in Rheelasia; Mr. Pak is Singh Manh Lee's tool. He does all his dirty work, his...procuring..._Dick gulped and closed his eyes briefly. _Okay, Grayson, no panicking here. Gotta try to think clearly. I'm in Rheelasia, a rogue nation with no ties to the free world except those with criminal organizations. I'm in the hands of the President-for-Life of Rheelasia, Generalissimo Singh Manh Lee...known pedophile, that slug!... I am just glad that Jenny is safe from him and the Mad Hatter. I guess the Generalissimo has given up using the Mad Hatter's mind-control methods on his victims...Or at least, he hasn't tried anything on me yet..._He shivered, not entirely with cold.

* * *

He remembered when he'd first seen Mr. Pak and the Generalissimo. Bruce had held yet another one of his society parties at the Manor. At least the food was good; Alfred was circulating, along with the hired waters, with some of his best canapés. Dick stuffed one into mouth, ignoring Alfred's frown, and turned as Bruce put a hand on his tuxedoed shoulder.

"Have you met my ward? Dick, this is Generalissimo Singh Manh Lee..."

"Aren't you the little heartbreaker," cooed the blonde on Lee's left arm.

"...President of Rheelasia," Bruce continued, giving the blonde a smarmy smile.

Dick bowed as Alfred had taught him and shook the moist hand of a man who looked like a toad. He was squat and round with an equally round face, glittering eyes and a smile that Dick could only call sleazy. Lee's interested glance ran from the top of Dick's head, over his body and down to his polished shoes, leaving him feeling...dirty. He was glad when Lee released his hand. As the Generalissimo turned away, Dick surreptitiously wiped it on his trousers.

Later that night, while on patrol, they had learned from Gordon about the latest crime wave: the disappearance of little girls in Gotham City. Batman had beat up...uh...interviewed the usual suspects and got nothing. Dick remembered overhearing Alfred and Bruce talking about the kidnappings.

"I sense an air of defeat. Tonight's efforts were unrewarding?" Alfred had asked, holding the tray of steaming hot cocoa for the tired crime fighters.

Bruce looked downcast and took a cup from the tray. "Eight girls missing and no motive in sight."

"And you fear the worst? Of course. You always fear the worst," Alfred had said.

Dick settled into the computer chair and started running searches against the criminal database to find somebody with a similar m.o. Trouble was, there was no shortage of suspects. He'd had no idea there were so many pedophiles in the world. It had been a long night and the screen began to blur as Robin stifled a yawn.

"No ransom demands. No apparent pattern. Those girls are in danger. I can feel it," Bruce said grimly.

"Well, tomorrow is another day, Sir," Alfred, as always, tried to put a cheerful note on it. "Perhaps something will emerge in the morning."

"And tonight's a school night, Dick. You'd better get some...sleep." Dick heard Bruce's voice a million miles away as his mentor chuckled and picked him up. He snuggled close to Bruce as he was carried up to bed and tucked in.

The next morning, to Dick's unhappy amazement, the newspaper showed a ninth girl had been kidnapped; someone he knew. Jenny Noblesse, a cute girl in his class who had been acting like she liked him. A lot.

When Bruce saw Dick's expression, he warned him to be careful.

"Dick...Dick!" Bruce put a big hand on Dick's shoulder. "I need you to be clear-headed, Dick. Now that the news is out, whoever's behind this will most likely go to ground...Which makes our job that much harder."

Dick put the paper down. "What do you want me to do?"

"Go to school. Talk to her friends. Dig around and see what you can find."

"Then what?" Dick asked.

"Then we'll pick up the trail after dark tonight," Bruce said with a smile. Finally, they might be able to do something.

Dick smiled back and got up from the table. Bruce called over his shoulder. "Dick! One more thing..."

"Yeah?"

"Stay out of trouble!"

Staying out of trouble had been hard when they pulled all of Jenny's friends into the principal's office for interviews. So, Dick did whatever was necessary so that he could be in the same area to overhear. Of course the fact that he enjoyed it was beside the point.

Waiting outside the principal's office, Dick climbed up the door with one foot firmly planted on the doorknob and listened to everything. Trouble was, nobody had noticed anything unusual. He rushed to sit back down on the bench when the principal led the last interviewee out the door. The principal then looked at Dick's hopeful face and said, "Mr. Grayson, is it? Why don't you come inside and help me get to the root of this 'spitball problem'?"

After his scolding, Dick had gone and talked to Jenny's friend Claire himself. The day before, both girls had walked past a funny little man in a strange hat who'd given them free mp3 players and headphones. Only Claire's didn't work but Jenny's did. Later, Jenny had walked right past Claire without saying a word, 'dissing' her. Dick frowned. "Where is this guy?"

Claire pointed down the street and Dick saw a girl put on some headphones, then walk away as if in a dream. "Hey mister! You got anymore headphones?" Dick called as he ran over.

"I'm sorry, young sir, but we're all out." Said the man, hastily packing up his stand. "Why don't you try again tomorrow? Perhaps we'll have some more..." The man closed his box and scuttled away into a van. It revved it's engine and sped away with a squeal of tires.

Dick hoisted his backpack on his shoulders and took to the rooftops, following the van as it ran down the twisty alleys of Gotham. He lost it at a sharp corner when he ran out of rooftop. Watching the van race away, he swore to himself, "This ends tonight."

Dick called Alfred and had him bring a few things, as well as his Robin costume. Bruce was going to a dinner on the yacht of a visiting dignitary, the President of Rheelasia. Time was short, Dick knew. He'd handle this himself.

Beginning in the alley near Gotham Academy, Alfred drove the limo through the neighborhood while, Robin, in the back seat, began to triangulate on the headphones' signal. He figured it had to be short range and low power..."Got it. Let's turn up the gain," Robin said. Both heard strange music with words interspersed in it: 'Awaken and obey' repeated multiple times.

The limo stopped where the signal was the strongest, in a courtyard of warehouses in the canal district.

"The signal's coming from here, Alfred," Robin pointed to the large building.

"Should I call Master Bruce now?" Alfred asked.

Robin got out of the car. "The place looks empty. I should check it out first."

"If you think that's wise," Alfred said doubtfully.

"Don't you ever relax?" Robin said with a smile.

"With difficulty, Sir," the butler sighed.

Robin ran through the building, looking down at a table set for tea from the rafters. "This is weird," he muttered. Then he heard the music. "Looks like someone is home," he said into his communicator. He flinched at the gunshot that tore past his shoulder and dove for the floor. The china on the table shattered with the next shot. Robin found a tin of Darjeeling tea, knocked to the floor by the gunshot and grinned. He tossed it overhead, drawing the mook's fire and, incidentally, exploding fine grains of tea into the angry gunman's eyes.

"I'm gonna tear you apart...you little louse!" the gunman shouted, climbing up into the rafters after Robin. "The Hatter don't like snoops!"

"The hatter?" Robin said, aiming his batarang carefully. "Now the tea party makes sense." He cast the 'rang and neatly coiled the line around the guy's ankles. A quick shove pushed the guy over the side and left him suspended there.

"So where do I find this hatter?" Robin smirked from the beam, eyeing the dizzy looking man hanging down below.

"Why should I tell...uffff..you?" the man grunted queasily.

"'Cause if you don't, I'll leave you there till your head pops."

Robin was quickly headed out to sea on a sea scooter, quickly finding himself at President Lee's yacht. As he tied up at the yacht, he heard Bruce's faint voice, talking on his cell phone. "Go ahead Alfred...And what exactly do you mean by a 'solo flight'?..."

Robin knew that Batman would not be pleased at his going out alone on this one, but there just wasn't any time. Hatter had kidnapped nine girls, delivered to Singh Manh Lee at his yacht. From there, Lee would take them outside United States waters and would be home free. And the girls? Robin knew that, at nine years old, he didn't know a lot about the world at large. But whatever Lee meant to do with them, it couldn't be good.

Robin climbed in through an open porthole and found the girls in a cargo hold. Each girl was dressed like Alice from Alice in Wonderland and wore a blonde wig, even Jenny. They were wrapped in blankets and still wore the headphones that kept them under control. He ran to Jenny and tried to wake her up. She just muttered and went back to sleep. "Yeesh! What did they do to you?" He shook her harder, then ducked at the sound of a gunshot. There, silhouetted in the doorway was Jervis Tetch, aka the Mad Hatter.

Meanwhile, up on deck, Bruce was fuming. Robin shouldn't have taken it upon himself to run this case solo. It was much too dangerous and since Bruce was here as Bruce Wayne, he couldn't help the boy as Batman if he got into trouble. Sipping at his drink, Bruce saw the light of coast guard cutters in the distance. Good. Alfred had called the police. Now to make sure that they caught up with the yacht before they were into international waters. He strolled onto the bridge and began to examine the control room.

"Let me get this straight," Bruce said to the captain. "You say that this little number tells the ship where to go?"

The captain nervously held his hands up. "You must leave, Mr. Wayne. The bridge is restricted to crew members only. Our navigational equipment is very sensitive..."

Bruce smiled as the onboard security grabbed his arm and let his hand tilt. "Oh dear..." he said as he martini sloshed all over the navigational controls. "Oopsie. I think I spilled my drink...I don't suppose one of you gentlemen would care to fetch me another glass...?" he said over the sparks and smoke emanating from the electronics.

In the cargo hold, Robin heard a loud voice from the doorway. "Consider that a warning shot, young sir. Come out where I can see you better, or next time it's off with your..." Tetch's voice was cut off by the batarang that knocked his hat off. To Robin's glee, the girls started waking up.

"Tetch! What have you done?" A tall, thin Asian man in a gray suit stood in the doorway, holding a gun. Mr. Pak. Dick remembered him from the party; he'd been in Generalissimo Lee's entourage.

Robin dove past Mr. Pak as the man started shooting in his wake. In the engine room, Robin flipped and rolled behind the huge pipes that ran across. Pak caught sight of him and fired. Robin ducked and the bullet hit a steam pipe, filling the entire room with mist. He could hear Tetch and Pak stumbling and cursing at each other. He slid up to Pak in the fog and belted him one in the chops, knocking him out cold. Tetch managed to hit his head on a pipe and knocked himself out. Robin didn't hear the sound of a third person moving quickly away from the door.

After securing Pak and Tetch, he crept upstairs to the deck and saw that the Gotham Coast Guard had arrived and were interviewing the kidnap victims. "There's another man that was there," said Jenny, pointing to Lee. "That guy!"

"Do you know anything about this, sir?" the officer asked him.

Lee's face was red and he looked upset. "I have diplomatic immunity. Besides, do you really feel you are within your rights to arrest the president of a sovereign nation?" he said, eyes glinting.

Robin came forward and gave his statement to the police, implicating Mr. Pak in the kidnapping plot. To his dismay, the police only arrested Tetch. Pak, as a member of the diplomatic mission to Gotham, had the same immunity as his master. Dick watched Generalissimo Lee as the girls were taken off the yacht and put into the patrol boats. The President's expression was of sullen displeasure. He licked his lips with unsatisfied greed as he watched each little girl removed from his grasp and taken away to safety. No, Robin decided, Lee wasn't a toad. He was a slug. A big, greasy slug that had been deprived of its dinner. He knew that Bruce wasn't pleased that he'd interfered in the case, especially without Batman's permission or supervision. But he was satisfied that he'd done good work, especially since Jenny and eight other girls were going home now.

* * *

He'd never thought to see Mr. Pak again, much less his master. The door to the room opened abruptly. Dick shot up and ran to the door of the bathroom, ready to lock himself in. Mr. Pak, who had opened the door, gave him a sardonic look. "The bathroom door doesn't have a lock, so don't try to hide. The Generalissimo wants to meet you. Come on." He advanced forward and grabbed for Dick's wrist.

Dick danced back and out of Pak's reach. "I'm not going anywhere until you give me some clothes."

"You're dressed enough," Pak said, not moving. "I can leave you here, but I promise you won't like the punishment that disobedience brings."

Dick continued to back away and dance out of reach. "I'd rather stay here." Pak lunged for him and Dick gave a laugh as he bounced up onto the computer table and dove for the dresser. From the top of the dresser, he flew out the open door and into a short hallway. Running as fast as he could, Dick plowed through the next door and into a large room where he stopped dead.

The room was painted a stark black and was covered with huge glossy colored photographs...of Robin. Robin fighting. Robin flying on a jump line. Robin with Batman obviously cut out of the scene. A young, ten year old Robin, perched on top of the gargoyles of Gotham Cathedral. A slightly older Robin leaning against the Batmobile in an alley. Everywhere he looked, he saw himself, photographed over the past five years. A huge monitor hung on the wall, running a film of Robin diving off a building, doing a quad flip and landing with ease on the ground.

A sudden terror filled him. Lee didn't want just any boy. He'd spent all this time, collecting Robin lookalikes. He wanted Robin. And now he had him.


	11. Rheelasia

CHAPTER 11

"Well, it looks as though you've made your own way to me," an oily voice said from behind him. Startled, Dick whirled around to see Generalissimo and President-for-Life Lee standing much too close to him and beaming.

Dick backed away until his bare shoulders touched the cold wall. An angry Mr. Pak stood behind Lee and glared at the boy through his round lenses. "Not by choice," Dick said, trying to look strong and defiant. Hard to do, he reflected briefly, when you're facing down a villain in your skivvies.

"Oh, come now, Dick," Lee said unctuously. "You're my honored guest." At Dick's suddenly wide eyes, Lee laughed easily. "Of course I know your name. Mr. Hamilton has supplied me with your complete file."

Complete file? Dick's eyes wandered to the pictures on the wall. Did he know? _Did he know?_ "I see," Dick said, calmly enough to be the Bat himself. "So you know why I got stuck in that juvie jail."

"Oh yes," Lee said, eyes gleaming. "If you'd like any drug for your own use, you have but to ask. I don't partake myself, but I like to see my guests comfortable and enjoying themselves."

_Yeah, and easy to control_, Dick mused. "I'm fine, thanks. What I really want right now is some clothing." He folded long spindly arms across his suddenly goose-pimpled chest.

Lee's face brightened as he watched the movement. "A shame, Dick. You look to be very athletic, your muscles are very well developed. Your file says that you began life in a circus as a trapeze performer. Is that right?"

At Lee's comment, Dick couldn't control his blush and suddenly didn't know where to put his hands, so he left them where they were. Clothing. He wanted clothing! His eyes sharpened as a thought occurred to him. Oh. Lee was keeping him half naked as a control method, to keep him off balance and malleable. Dick straightened. Lee wasn't gonna win this round and if he laid a hand on him, Dick would kill him and Batman's rules be damned. "Yes, I was a member of the Flying Graysons," Dick said. "But I've retired. I don't do much acrobatics these days."

"I see," Lee said. "I also note that you and I have met. At your home, as I recall. Wayne Manor?" Lee licked his lips almost hungrily, eyeing the boy in front of him.

"I wouldn't know," Dick said in a bored voice. "That was years ago, wasn't it? Bruce had that party what, five years ago now? I met a lot of people that night."

"I remember you," Lee replied, eyes deepening. "I remember what a...what was it Sheri said? What a heartbreaker you were." He took a step closer. "It is surprising that you look so similar to my true obsession," he gestured toward a picture of Robin on the wall.

_He didn't know! _Dick almost sagged with relief but realized that to do so would be a giveaway. He kept himself straight and answered, still bored. "The vigilante kid? Well, live in Gotham and you meet all types, from the overdressed villains to the weird vigilantes." He cast a dismissive glance at the photo. "I never thought that I looked like Robin, though. He's much more...coarse...than I am. Like a street kid, y'know?" He made his voice drawl into the spoiled rich kid tone he'd used in court.

Lee wasn't fazed. "Oh, I don't think so. You're very like Robin and you'll strive to recreate him for me, Dick. If you don't, you'll join your predecessors in another...career choice."

Dick raised his eyebrows but said nothing.

"I see that you need an explanation," Lee said patiently. "All right. Here it is. I visited Gotham City five years ago. A diplomatic mission on paper, but really to collect my shipment of nine blonde little girls for my personal...ah hah," he chuckled. "Amusement. That shipment was spoiled for me by the overt actions of a young vigilante," he nodded toward the monitor on the wall. "Robin, the Boy Wonder. I don't doubt that Batman was somewhere in the shadows, but Robin is the one I saw. I watched him fly on a rope, take down my Mr. Pak with a single blow, casually toss a batarang and take down Mr. Tetch. The boy was poetry in motion; the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen..." He sighed with the memory. "I had to have that beauty, that grace for my own. I had to hold it in my grasp..." He clenched pudgy fists tightly together and reopened his eyes. "From that day, my only goal has been to acquire Robin somehow. But I discovered how closely guarded the boy is. He rarely leaves Batman's side. His true identity and home are unknown." He walked over to the photo of Robin taken at age nine.

"I hired a photographer to take pictures and films of the boy in action. I found no gaps in Batman's security. None. Then I decided that if I couldn't have the real thing, I could at least love a copy." Lee turned back to Dick. "And you, my boy, are my copy. For as long as you are cooperative and able to simulate Robin for me, you will live in luxury, your every whim catered to."

"And if I don't," Dick all but whispered, captured by the sheer madness in the man's eyes.

"If you don't, you'll go to our famous red light district to earn your living. The soft don't survive very long there, although the candidates I send are usually well received and quite popular. For a few months, until they're all used up," Lee said dismissively.

"You know that Bruce Wayne is my guardian," Dick said desperately. "He'd pay you anything you asked for my return."

"I know that, but it isn't possible," Lee said. "If any word of my current arrangement got out, it would make me look very bad. Maybe bad enough to engulf my country in a war it cannot afford. No, my dear boy, you're mine for the rest of your life. How long that life is, well, that's up to you."

"Wha..what is it you want me to do?" Dick closed his eyes, not wanting to hear the answer plain, but he needed to know, to plan.

"For now, put this on," A servant approached Lee and handed him a bundle of yellow, green and red cloth. Lee took it and gave it to Dick. On top of the bundle was a pair of green pixie boots. "You did say you wanted some clothing. Well, there you are, Robin."

Dick looked around to see if anyone was going to leave while he dressed. When it seemed clear that they weren't, he quickly donned the Robin suit. It wasn't made of kevlar and nomex, like the original, but silk and linen. The shoes were doeskin and much softer than his own. Also much less sturdy. He fastened the cape of heavy silk-satin, then tied on the face mask. At last, he stood awkwardly instead of proudly, as he usually wore the uniform.

"Very good, Robin," Lee said. "Now, I want you to learn a few routines so that you can be my Robin. Mr. Tan will instruct you." He gestured and a small man in a black gi approached. Robin breathed a tiny sigh of relief. Whatever was going to happen wasn't immediate. He had a little bit of time to plan an escape.

* * *

HAMILTON SCHOOL-

Batman's next move was to call the only law enforcement agency he could be sure wasn't tainted, bought off or corrupted by Hamilton. Five minutes later, Superman landed.

"Batman," Superman looked around at the awed student body gathered outside the cafeteria. "What's your emergency? " He took a close look at Batman. "Your stomach is churning and your blood pressure's through the roof..."He looked around. "Where's Robin?" Superman demanded.

Batman tugged at Superman's arm and pulled him out of earshot. "Dick's being taken to a predator of children who has already stolen half a dozen boys who look like him. The helicopter took off three hours ago. We don't know the destination," Batman said in despair. "I...I failed to safeguard him. I put a tracker in his shoes, but they were stolen. I just found out. Clark," Batman gave Superman the only look of entreaty his friend had ever seen on Bruce's face. "I have to go hack the administrator's computer, see if I can find out where they've taken him before...before something terrible happens to him. I'm told that local law enforcement has been paid off. Can you..."

"Of course, I can," Superman said. "I'll call a friend at the FBI and get them to take over this school, make some arrests. They'll make alternate arrangements for the kids. I love Dick as much as you do. Go take that computer apart. If there's anything I can do, you only have to ask," he said to Batman.

But Batman was already running to the Administrative Building. It was empty of personnel; they'd already heard what was happening and, like the rats they were, they were scurrying off the sinking barge. He found the principal's office and sat down at his desk, booting the computer up and working as fast as he could. Dick had already been gone for three hours, he could already be past saving...

* * *

PRESIDENT'S PALACE, RHEELASIA

Robin circled Mister Tan, body set in a defensive stance. Tan, to his surprise, was almost as fast as Batman but twice as brutal on a lagging student.

"You are capable of much more than you are demonstrating," Tan had said when Dick feigned a lack of knowledge of martial arts. "I can tell by the way you move that you are trained."

Dick had already taken some serious punishment from Tan when he didn't try his best, so stepped up his effort but tried to keep it below Robin's level of expertise.

"Why do you work for a perverted sack-o-shit like Lee?" Dick panted as he defended against a kick from Tan.

"He is my master. I owe him my livelihood," Tan said, landing a blow to Dick's shoulder and forcing him down to the mat.

"You know what he wants me for," Dick said, circling again.

"I'm well aware that you are his catamite," Tan said. "You will eat and live better than most boys your age in this country. All that the Generalissimo asks of you is your love and devotion."

"And sex, don't forget that," Dick lunged at Tan and used the man's head to propel him over his opponent, landing behind him and placing a kick to the man's backside. "He's a pervert who steals children. He's stolen me and I have no choice."

Tan picked himself up and faced his opponent. "Better. You are the most gifted athlete I've trained so far. You will make him a fine Robin." Tan shrugged. "You will adjust. Or you'll die."

At the end of the day, Robin was taken back to his original room. This time, the closet was full of clothing: Robin suits identical to the one he wore. The fear and panic he'd been fighting down, began to rise again. He decided that a shower might help him feel better. He stripped off the dirty costume, leaving it on the floor of the bedroom and ran the shower extra-hot. He found the shampoo and had just finished washing his hair when his eye caught a small, round divot in the tile about waist level.

He grabbed a towel and had covered himself before he even turned the water off. He looked at it closely and was pretty sure he'd found a hidden camera. So, why was he so surprised? This was no more than par for the course. He took a second towel and hung it over the shower spigot, draping it over the mini-cam.

Wrapping the towel securely around his waist, he dashed into the room and grabbed fresh underwear from the drawer. He went into the dark closet and dressed in a fresh Robin uniform. If Lee had a camera in the closet, it had better be infrared for all the jollies he was going to get!

* * *

HAMILTON SCHOOL

Batman heard the bustle when the FBI arrived. Superman, bless him, kept everyone out of the office while Batman worked. He'd been through every file twice and was now looking on the flash drives he'd found in the desk. The first had nothing on it, but the second...There were three files, encrypted. He focused harder and dug into the files.

Four hours later, a hand set a cup of steaming coffee in front of him. Batman came out of his trance and looked to see who it was. Superman stood next to the computer with his own cup of coffee in hand.

"You're still here?" Batman rasped.

Superman nodded. "They just took the last bus of students away. They've arrested all the staff here and some of them are starting to sing. None of them know where Dick is, though," he sighed and sipped at his coffee.

Batman took a sip of his as well. "You make this?" he gestured with the cup.

Superman nodded.

"It's crap," Batman said.

Superman just smiled. "Have you found anything yet?" he asked.

Batman pulled his cowl back and rubbed at tired eyes. "I've found hints of where they take the boys. I pray that I'm wrong."

Superman's eyes sharpened. He suddenly became the ace investigative reporter, Clark Kent. "What have you found?" He pulled a chair over and sat next to Batman.

"Do you see these e-mails here...and here?" Batman said. "They've bounced all over to hell and gone but seem to have originated in Rheelasia." He sipped at the coffee again, grimaced and set it down. "Did I ever tell you about the Generalissimo, President-for-Life Singh Manh Lee?"

"You don't have to," Superman said. "I did an expose on child trafficking last year. Rheelasia is pulling in several billion dollars per year running brothels filled with children stolen from other countries..." Superman stopped and his eyes grew wide. "Not Dick...Not there!"

Batman simply nodded. "I think so. The last time I dealt with Generalissimo Lee, it was little girls and...my God...I introduced Dick to that bastard!" He stood up. "I have to go. I have to go now!" He looked over at Superman again. "It'll take me eight hours steady flight to get there from here...Superman, you're faster. Can you fly there and get my boy back?"

Superman's face took on a troubled expression. "Bruce...I...I...wish I could," he said.

"What do you mean?" Batman was aghast. Superman had never refused a request like that. Ever.

Superman turned agonized eyes on his best friend. "Bruce, last week Rheelasia entered a petition with the United Nations to become a member. The UN is committed to this. It could normalize relations with Rheelasia if it passes and allow some real changes to be effected. If I enter Rheelasian airspace without permission, I'll jeopardize the League's UN charter. And that holds true for any member of the Justice League," he said miserably. "Generalissimo Lee is untouchable, Bruce."

Batman fixed Superman with a long, cold glance. "You'd put politics ahead of Dick's safety? You've known him since he was eight years old!"

"If we lose that charter, we lose the League," Superman said. "And think of all the people the Justice League is able to help every year because the UN sanctions us!"

"To Hell with you and your UN Sanction!" Batman shouted. "At least tell me you aren't going to try to stop me, because you know I'll stop you first. And I'll make it hurt."

Superman stood with hands raised. "I won't try to stop you, Bruce. I just can't be seen to be helping you. Go! Get him back. I'll do what I can from this end."

Batman raced to the Batwing, which he'd parked out in the desert near the school. As he began pre-flight checks and set the course, he pondered the call he'd have to make now. As far as Alfred knew, Dick and he were still working undercover at the school. But he knew he'd need Alfred's help on this one, if only to keep him sane.

The preflight took much less time than anticipated and Batman set off, the Batwing pointing due west toward the Pacific Ocean. Hesitantly, he touched a hand to the radio.

"Yes sir," Alfred answered promptly. "How may I help you?"

Bruce cleared his throat, his voice barely audible. "Alfred...I...I've lost Dick. He's been taken."

"Excuse me, Sir, but I didn't catch that," Alfred responded. "Please say again?"

"Alfred, I should never have allowed this. At least if Dick were in juvenile hall, he'd be safe. He's...he's been sold to the pedophile that's been taking boys from this school..."

Bruce heard a long silence before Alfred's voice responded. "Understood, Sir. You are going after him?"

"Yes. He's eight hours ahead of me, travelling to Rheelasia, probably to the presidential palace of Singh Manh Lee. I'll need weather reports for the area, wind speeds and potential landing places for the Batwing," Batman said as crisply as he could.

"He'll be safe, Sir," Alfred said. "He's a resourceful lad and you've trained him well."

"I hope so," Batman said.

Being Batman, he couldn't help his training. During his career as the Bat, he had made a practice of planning for contingencies, _all_ contingencies. He had plans for alien invasion of earth, plans to take down each member of the Justice League if it became necessary, plans in case of his own death. He had never thought to plan for...he took in a deep breath...He had never thought to plan for the sexual assault of his young partner and its aftermath. He had never considered the possibility that he would fail to protect young Robin from any danger, and such a danger...The files flashed through his mind, the ones he'd forbidden Dick to read. Bruce knew what had become of other children kidnapped by and for Generalissimo Lee. They hadn't just disappeared or just died. The lucky ones died quickly. The less lucky...He'd spent millions quietly tracking them down and offering them transport out of the country if they wanted it, to a place of safety where they could recover from Lee's brothels.

Leslie managed that fund and supervised the workers. The underground railroad out of Rheelasia still existed, as did the safe houses. If necessary, he could take Dick to one of them, where there were counselors and medical care.

The other statistic flashed across his memory. Those kidnapped children, now grown up too soon...Most of them didn't want to be returned to their families. They had been too changed, too damaged by their experiences, what they had had to do to survive.


	12. Evil

CHAPTER 12

PRESIDENTIAL PALACE, RHEELASIA

Generalissimo Lee sat in his study watching his favorite film, a color video of Robin on a jump line in Gotham City. The boy propelled himself off a rooftop and did a quadruple somersault before rappelling down to the pavement, in the process taking down two goons with his feet. Then he gracefully dispatched two more with swift kicks and blows with his small hands. Grinning, he came to a stop, dusted off his hands and proceeded to tie up the moaning crooks.

"Beautiful. Just beautiful," Murmured Lee. "Such grace, such style. And he's such a beautiful boy..."

"Indeed," said Mr. Tan thoughtfully, who sat on a chair by Lee's side.

"How goes the training with my current Robin?" Lee asked, pouring himself another drink. "Will he be ready soon?"

"Mr. President, you have been collecting Robins for how many years now? Five?" Tan asked tentatively.

"Yes, that's right. Since I saw the original in action," Lee sighed.

"This boy, Dick Grayson, he comes from Gotham City, does he not? Home of the original Robin?" Tan asked.

"Yes, he does. What difference does that make?" Lee asked.

"I have trained each of your Robins for you. Some were more athletic than others, but none of the boys had the athleticism of your current Robin. He tries to hide it, but his very movements are grace personified. Sir, I have studied all of the films you've collected that show the true Robin in action and I must say..."

"What? Must say what?" Lee demanded, perplexity in his face.

"You have been fishing for minnows, Sir, but I think that you may have caught a shark this time. This boy has the skills of the true Robin..." Tan replied hesitantly.

Lee was silent, his mouth working. Slowly, slowly his round face creased in a smile. "That night...the one in which Robin, but not Batman, was on my boat... We were headed for international waters. Once there, I and my girls would have been safe from interference by coastal authorities. You know that Bruce Wayne is Dick Grayson's guardian?"

Tan nodded.

"Well, the annoying Mr. Wayne wandered onto the bridge of my yacht and began asking my captain a series of truly stupid questions. Just as we approached international waters, Wayne managed to spill a martini onto the control board. It shorted out the entire system and allowed the Coast Guard to stop us just within American waters." Lee sipped at his drink, face thoughtful. "I had always thought that it was merely happenstance, a foolish at from a foolish man. But now...I wonder..." His smile grew even broader. "If Dick Grayson is Robin, then Bruce Wayne is Batman...it follows so logically...And here I can get my revenge on both Batman and Wayne at the same time." He sighed and leaned back in his chair. "And finally, I have the _real _Robin in my hands! This is truly a good day, Tan. A very good day." He pressed a small buzzer on the table beside him. To the servant who responded, he said, "Have Mr. Pak bring Robin to my dining room. I'd like the lad to dine with me tonight. He and I have much to discuss."

Robin went through the utility belt he'd been given. The compartments in the belt were empty. There was nothing useful there. He found a batarang, but it was made of painted cardboard. He had just tried throwing it when his bedroom door opened.

Robin stood with his back to the wall, facing the door and Mr. Pak, who stood there.

"How can you do this to helpless kids?" Robin burst out. "Don't you care that you're serving an evil man?"

Pak shrugged. "This is my job and I'm paid well for it. Now, are you going to come with me or do I have to call the guards?"

"Where are we going?" Robin asked suspiciously.

"The President has requested your presence at dinner. You do want to eat, don't you?" Pak asked sardonically. "I can leave you here to starve if you want. You'll either dine with your new owner or you'll go hungry."

"I'll stay here," Robin said. "If I have a choice."

"You don't," Pak replied. With a snap of his fingers, two huge bruisers appeared from behind him and rushed the boy. Robin didn't have weapons but he did have his training. He flung himself at the guards and quickly had the first on the floor, moaning in pain, then applied a nerve block to the second man, bringing him down like a towering tree. Mr. Pak watched it all before attempting to run when the second guard went down. With great enjoyment, Robin somersaulted over Pak and took him down with some well-placed blows.

Panting happily, Robin ran down the hallway and through the Robin gallery. He was going to get out of here if it killed him. The next hallway led to an elevator which only went one direction-up. He was in a basement level, then. He looked harder and found fire stairs. He hauled the door open and took the stairs two at a time.

He got to the ground floor, he could tell by the sunset showing through the windows. He ran for them and tried to open them but they wouldn't budge. Nailed shut, he thought. Then he went to a table and found an ugly bust of President Lee. At least he wasn't destroying anything of value, he considered as he prepared to shot-put the bust at the window as hard as he could. Then he saw the wiring; it was alarmed. He'd only succeed in letting the goons know where he was. He looked around the ground floor but there were no doors and the windows were sealed. Dammit! What now?

All his instincts told him that up was safe, so he ran back for the fire stairs. As the door closed behind him, he heard boots thudding down the hallway he'd just left. Sighing in relief, he ran up the steps as silently as he could. At the top of the building, the roof, he slammed the door open and ran into Mr. Tan and a very battered looking Mr. Pak.

"I did tell you that you would be punished if you tried to escape," Mr. Pak said vindictively, holding a handkerchief to his nose. Tan advanced on Robin, who backed into the landing, coming to a stop when he bumped into Generalissimo Lee himself.

Cornered, Robin didn't know where to look and tried to dive over the railing. He didn't have his grapple gun, but he'd rather have a broken neck than stay here. To his dismay, Tan was faster and grabbed him by the cape. Before Robin could release the thing, he was in Tan's grip, facing Lee.

To his surprise, Lee didn't look angry. In fact, he appeared delighted, with a huge grin on his face. "Well, well, my Robin," Lee said jovially. "I see that you tried to escape me. Not successfully, but still a good try."

"You should punish him for trying to escape," Pak said.

"No need," Lee said, holding Robin by the scruff of the neck in one huge hand. "I don't want anyone to cause so much as a scratch or bruise on this young man. He's more precious to me than gold. He's what I've been looking to possess for years and now that I have him, I will keep him." Lee's grin became even wider. "Welcome to my home, young Dick Grayson. Of course, you have another name and another life, don't you? You are the real Robin after all, as your guardian is the true Batman."

His heavy hand still holding Robin by the neck, Lee dragged him downstairs and into a large dining room. The table was easily as big as the dining table in Wayne Manor, but the ornate room lacked the warmth of home. Although it could clearly seat fifty comfortably, the table was set only for two.

"Have a seat, boy," Lee said, finally releasing Robin, albeit reluctantly. "Sit! Sit! Eat something. You must be famished."

Robin sat and glumly viewed the dozens of covered dishes scattered across the table. A butler moved in next to him and began serving a variety of exotic foods. Robin scoped the room. It had windows, probably nailed shut. And it was lined with guards holding machine guns. Getting out of here was going to be challenging. He looked down at his place setting. No knives or forks, not even chopsticks. He had a plastic spork and saw that Lee was using the same.

Lee stopped shoveling food into his mouth and smiled again. "You're wondering about the plastic cutlery? My boy, you aren't the first guest I've had and many of my Robins were streetwise kids when they came here, able to make a weapon of anything. Trust me, I've learned. Even you won't be able to make anything of that piece of trash."

"Like the cardboard batarang," Robin said, pushing at his food with the spork. "But why you think I'm the real Robin is beyond me. I'm just a kid."

"A nice try, my dear, dearest Robin," Lee said, smirking. "You're movements give you away. You are a martial artist of the highest level, clearly trained by Batman. And more, when I saw the film of you attacking Mr. Pak and my two guardsmen, you used a very familiar flip. One I have a tape of Robin executing. And besides, it makes sense. Bruce Wayne is athletic, yet a savvy businessman. How else does Batman afford his toys?" Lee put down his spork and leaned in to Robin. "But you're not eating! Surely you don't think I'd poison you?"

Robin pushed his plate away. "No, but you might drug me," he said.

"For five years, I've been your most sincere admirer," Lee said, spreading his hands. "All I've ever wanted was to show you my love for you!"

Robin could feel himself begin to shake and tried desperately to tamp it down. He'd never been as good at hiding his emotions as Bruce, but he needed to do it now. "The kind of love you show isn't love. You use people, collect them like toys and then destroy them. What happened to Rufus Garrett?"

Lee was taken aback. "Rufus Garrett? You mean my last Robin? He...uh...got sick and passed away. Very unfortunate," Lee grabbed his wine glass and took a gulp.

"You killed him, didn't you?" Robin said, hands bunching into fists in the too-soft gloves. "What did you do to him? What?" He lunged to his feet, ready to go for Lee's throat. Two guards sprang from behind him and wrestled him back into his chair while Lee dabbed at his lips with the napkin.

"I would rather not discuss such unpleasantness," Lee said, eyes hardening. "Certainly not at dinner. Eat your food, boy. It isn't poisoned or drugged." Lee leaned over the table and scooped up a sporkful of food from Robin's plate, then put it into his own mouth. "It's very good, too," he said indistinctly as he chewed. And you'll note that I've respected your youth." He pointed toward Robin's glass. "Only I have wine. Your glass simply has water in it."

He watched as Robin carefully took a bite of food, then washed it down with water. Nothing tasted wrong to him, but he still ate sparingly. The food was salty, though, so he helped himself to water and let the waiter refill his glass.

After he'd drunk his second glass of water, he began to feel...strange. His limbs felt loose and out of control and his balance was off. On the edge of panic, he looked up to find Lee studying him closely. "The...food..." he gasped out.

"Nothing wrong with the food," Lee said. "The water now? I put a little something in to help relax you. We'll spend some time together this evening, shall we?"

In a panic, Robin tried to get up, to run, but his legs wouldn't work right. He got up, but he stumbled and fell to the floor, only to be helped up again by the guards. He saw Lee bending over him and saying something he didn't understand, then he was being dragged down a long hallway papered in silk. Two intricately carved double doors were opened and he was carried into a large bedroom, papered in silk. In the center was a bed with a black velvet spread on it. The guards carried him in and laid him on the bed, then took their leave.

The lights dimmed and then all he could see was Singh Manh Lee...


	13. Batman

CHAPTER 13

SOMEWHERE OVER THE SEA OF JAPAN, HALF AN HOUR EARLIER

"I'm going in for a landing now, Alfred," Batman radioed from the Batwing. "Do you have the current contact from Leslie?"

"Yes Sir, I do," Alfred replied. "A grocer named Hana Kim, she lives on the Street of Lotuses in the capital city. According to Leslie, she has some American medical training and has seen well over a hundred young people out of the country...I...sincerely hope that the young master has no need of her services."

"You and me both, Alfred," Batman said grimly. "The sun has just set here, so I should have the benefit of stealth. I'll update you when I've got him. Wish me luck."

"And my prayers as well, Sir," Alfred said and signed off.

The Batwing had been fitted with low-noise jet engines but Batman didn't take any chances. Within a quarter mile of his landing site, he hit a switch and the Batwing went dead silent; the alien anti-grav engines had been worth the money and negotiation it took to install them. His lip curled. He supposed that this was the League's contribution to this mission. He lightly set the Batwing down in the palace gardens, hidden by the trees but close to the house and was out of the craft immediately.

The house was well lit, well-guarded, but that didn't matter to Batman. His hands in fists, he moved in to find his boy.

Minutes later, an increasingly enraged Batman had disposed of the kitchen staff and most of the first floor guards. The last pair had given him the intel he needed.

"The boy?" the first one had said with a sneer on his face. "He's on his honeymoon right now. You don't want to disturb him!"

Batman had grabbed the man by his throat, lifting him several feet in the air. The man gargled while the Bat put his face very close and asked in a threatening whisper. "Where is he?" He gave the man just enough air to answer.

"In...in the president's bedroom...down the hall...double...d-doors at the end," the servant gasped when Batman dropped him and ran.

He heard increasing sounds of a struggle before he got to the big double doors. Then he heard Robin's voice, shouting "Leave me alone! Get AWAY from me!" and his vision went red. With a growl, he tried to batter the doors open, but they were locked. Forcing himself to icy concentration, he cut the door locks off the doors with his mini-laser and forced the doors apart with a solid kick.

What he saw haunted his nightmares for years to come. Robin, in costume, lay sprawled on a huge four poster bed, struggling drunkenly while a grinning Singh Manh Lee tried to hold him down.

Words and coherent thought left the Bat. With a roar, he charged in to protect his child against this leering slug.

* * *

PRESIDENTIAL PALACE, RHEELASIA

BEDROOM OF THE PRESIDENT

Robin knew he was in big trouble. He held on to the rags of consciousness and determined to fight back. Lee bent over him, trying to undo the ties that held his tunic together. Robin clumsily drew his feet together and kicked at the man. Lee sidestepped it easily. "You want to play? How delightful!" The man leaned in again, grabbing at the boy.

"Leave me alone!" Robin shouted and tried to move away from the hands clutching at him. "Get AWAY from me!" He climbed awkwardly up the bed. Lee grabbed at his cape and began pulling him inexorably back while Robin kicked and fought.

He heard a loud, crashing sound as the doors to the room burst open. Suddenly Lee was pulled violently away from him and tossed to the other side of the room. He saw a flash of black and heard a low, animal roar that didn't seem to come from a human throat. A tall black shadow stood over Lee, hammering blow after blow onto his pasty body. Lee tried to get away, but the black shadow was relentless.

Robin clambered to the edge of the bed and fell to the floor, reeling. He let out a long, relieved breath. Batman. Batman was here. Batman had found him somehow. He grabbed the bedpost to pull himself up, watching Batman pound Singh Manh Lee into a pulp. To Robin's surprise, no guards came running into the room. Of course, Batman must have dealt with them on the way in.

Still hanging onto the bedpost, Robin dimly noted that Lee had stopped moving or trying to fight back. He couldn't tell whether the man was even still breathing. "B..Batman..." he croaked out, then tried again. "Batman? Batman!"

Batman turned and looked at him, his face a mix of vulnerability and rage. "Robin?"

"Batman, don' kill him," Robin said. "I don' care whether he lives or dies," he garbled. "But you will, so jus'...don'." He gave Batman a crooked smile and lost his balance, sliding down the bedpost to the heaving floor.

Batman suddenly realized that Lee was down and not resisting anymore. He bent down and checked for a pulse and sighed. "He's not dead, but he'll wish he was for a long time." He came over and crouched before Robin, his eyes fearfully running over the boy's body. "Dick...are you all right? Did he...?" He said softly, reached out a hand and stopped, not knowing if the boy could bear to be touched.

Robin shook his head and slurred, "No, 'm okay. He din't hurt me.. but 'm really grateful f'r y'r timing." He tugged at one of silk gloves. "Hope you brought me a spare un'form!" He tried unsuccessfully to get up, then grabbed Batman's still outstretched hand and let him haul him upright.

"I'm grateful for my timing, too," Batman breathed and gathered Robin into a hug. Robin, startled but pleased, hugged him back, burrowing into the safety of his kevlar-clad chest. Batman briefly rested his chin on the boy's head and closed his eyes. Safe. He was safe now. Robin wobbled a bit and Batman's arm steadied him. "Come on, we need to get out of here." He supported the boy as they left the room.

"Down the hall, here," Batman said. "I came in through the kitchens."

Robin saw various servants, piled unconscious on the floor. "You tranked 'em?" He managed to slur out as he staggered against Batman.

"Tranked and tied," Batman said with a grin. "But it won't be long before the rest of the household notices." He gave Robin a look. The boy was still painfully unsteady on his feet. "It'll be faster if I carry you..."

Robin sighed and nodded his 'yes'. He hated it when he couldn't pull his own weight, but right now he was dizzy and his vision wasn't very good. "'kay," he muttered. Batman pulled in him into a fireman's carry and sprinted through the gardens toward the Batplane.

Before they had gone halfway, they heard the sound of shouting and then an alarm went off. Breathing heavily but by no means at his limit, Batman put on a burst of speed. Just as they got to the clearing where the Batplane was parked, they both got a quick glimpse of an armored vehicle manned by four soldiers. Then there was a sharp burst of light and the plane exploded.

Batman threw Robin down into the bushes and covered him with body and cape as the remaining pieces of the Batplane rained down on top of them. Before the rain of debris even stopped falling, Batman was on the move again. He grabbed Robin's arm and pulled him upright. "We've got to get out of here," he said roughly.

Robin nodded and began to move toward the wall surrounding the palace compound. Scaling it shouldn't be too hard. He noticed that Batman's hand on his shoulder lay heavier than usual; he must be pretty worried. They got to the wall. Twenty feet, Robin estimated. Piece of cake. He looked back at Batman and his eyebrow went up when he saw the blood trickling down Batman's leg.

"You got hit w' shrapnel," Robin said. "C'n you climb?" He clung to the wall for stability.

"You can," Batman said. "If I lift you. Don't worry about me. I'll get over."

Doubtfully, Robin let Batman give him a leg up and hoist him over the wall. From the top, Robin could see that the palace was alight and dozens of armed men were headed their way. He reached down a hand. "Come on, Batman. I'll help you over."

Batman just nodded and tossed him a grapple and a rope. Robin tied it off at the top of the wall and helped Batman climb the distance. Amid gunfire, they each rappelled to the bottom on the other side and found a hiding place in the underbrush.

"What now?" Robin asked his mentor. Batman rubbed his leg and replied, "We find a way to get out of the country."


	14. On the Run

CHAPTER 14

PRESIDENTIAL PALACE, RHEELASIA

BEDROOM OF HIS EXCELLENCY, GENERALISSIMO SINGH MANH LEE

Lee lay back in his great black velvet bed while the doctors wrapped his broken arm in a cast. They had already x-rayed and pronounced two of his ribs broken as well as his nose. Peering around the attending doctor and nurses, he operated the television remote with his good hand and began one of his favorite tapes. It depicted a young boy clad in red, green and a yellow cape swinging from line to line among the tall buildings of Gotham. Graceful yet sturdy, the youth's face bore a joyful grin.

So close...so very close, Lee mused. And to discover that the boy, Robin, was the only child of a powerful billionaire! Such power in Wayne's hands. Such power to be had by the smart and tricky man Lee knew himself to be. He had already put out word that the boy was to be retrieved and the finder would become rich beyond his wildest dreams. Lee smiled painfully. His broken and missing teeth hurt. The dentist was next. He had to have the boy back. Oh, the uses he could put the lad to...

If he held the boy in his hand, he would have both Batman and Bruce Wayne in his power. From Batman he would gain a tactical advantage over his enemies, for there was no better covert terrorist on the planet than the Bat. So what if he had sworn not to kill? For the promise of his son's well-being, the Bat would do whatever he was commanded. And best of all, Batman was known to be a leader in the Justice League. Who better to keep the likes of Superman and Wonder Woman at bay? No more nosy investigations into alleged human rights abuses...

And he was also Bruce Wayne...He had money, more even than the Rheelasian budget. Wayne's punishment only began at paying extortion to guarantee Dick's continued life. Wayne's companies could and would invest in Rheelasia, bringing jobs and wealth to the country and to Lee himself. All Wayne's power and influence could be turned to benefit Singh Manh Lee, who would become a sizable minority shareholder in all of Wayne's financial doings.

Lee shifted to his other favorite film, a new one. The hidden cameras had watched Dick Grayson, aka Robin, during every moment he had spent in the Presidential Palace. Just watching him move was a pleasure, as were the plans Lee made for him. While Batman/Wayne danced to Lee's tune in the hope of somehow saving his son, the boy would belong to Lee and Lee alone. Lee's face grew even more cheerful until he grinned a huge, broken toothed grin, his small eyes almost lost in the black and blue bruises the Batman had inflicted.

But most important of all...this information was explosive but only valuable while no one else possessed it. He must keep Batman and Robin's identities secret if he were to exploit them to the full. If the plan worked, and he knew that it would, he would be the winner. He, the Generalissimo, would have wealth, power, control over Batman, perhaps the League, and best of all, he would finally have his Robin, his genuine Robin to himself.

"Send in Hamilton and Harrison," he told Pak. "I have a job for them."

* * *

CAPITOL CITY OF RHEELASIA

Batman and Robin limped their way through the capital city, moving from shadow to shadow. Before they had gone four blocks, Robin stumbled and would have fallen had Batman not caught him. "Keep fighting the drugs," Batman instructed. "But till they wear off, I'll help you." Robin grumbled again, but let Batman prop him up. After consideration, Batman decided not to try to find the Street of Lotuses; they would probably be spotted and they'd only endanger their contact. Better if they could lie low for a while.

They stopped in an alley, shielded by some overflowing garbage cans. Ostensively, it was to allow Robin to rest but Batman knew his leg was about to give out. The boy had been through enough; he didn't need to know how badly injured his mentor was. While they were stopped, two patrols met up at the mouth of their alley. Batman shoved Robin behind him, deeper into shadow, and both listened intently.

A solemn man, clearly in command addressed the members of the second unit. "Bring the boy directly to the President, he wants this one very badly. There will be a rich reward to the one who turns him in," said the Colonel.

"So how is this boy any different from all the others?" one solder said sarcastically. "They all end up in the same place after our glorious leader is done with them."

"It is not our job to question the Generalissimo," the Colonel said. "Whether we agree with them or not."

"So, the usual penalties for a runaway?" asked another soldier with a smirk.

"No. He goes directly back to the Generalissimo, untouched." the Colonel shook his head. "Those are the orders."

Batman felt Robin, next to him, shrink away. When the two soldiers went on their way, Batman put a hand on Robin's shoulder and pulled him further into the shadows. "Come on," he directed in a whisper. "Let's get out of here."

At the other end of the city, they found a burned out area, not yet rebuilt after the last Bialyan/Rheelasian war. They took shelter in a small burned out house hidden away by piles of debris. Batman judged it concealed enough and sufficiently sturdy to be a temporary shelter.

The night had turned cold, so Batman dug a small hole and made a pocket fire from the half-burned timber lying around. He'd pulled some of the ill-fated meal bars from his utility belt when he noticed that Robin was shivering in his light clothing.

"What did he dress you in?" Batman fingered the cape Robin wore. "Silk?" The boy's tunic was a thin linen dyed red and green.

"Yeah. Lingerie materials," Robin said. "Not worth much for keeping me warm." He lifted a foot. "Ran through my shoes in the town."

Batman could see the where the doeskin had worn through during their long hike. He pulled the worst one off and examined Robin's foot. "Are you injured?"

"Nah. Just cold," Robin and shivered again. Batman pulled off his cape and draped it around the both of them, pulling the boy close for warmth.

"You were kidnapped as Dick Grayson," Batman said, bringing up a concern that had been bothering him. "Why are you dressed as Robin?"

"Lee has been obsessed with Robin since he first saw him in action five years ago. In Gotham City. He's been collecting 'Robins' ever since then. And he finally caught one." He looked desolately up at his mentor. "I managed to break out of the room they were keeping me in. I ran down this hallway and ended up in a big room. The walls were painted black and so were the floors. And on the walls were pictures of Robin, taken in Gotham City. They had somebody following us with a telephoto lens and there were pictures of me from when I first became Robin up to the age I am now. And he had a flat screen monitor on the wall," Robin said dully, afraid to meet Batman's eyes. "It had films of me: beating up crooks, flying on a zip or a decel line. The pictures were just me, not you. You were cut out." Robin looked up at his partner. "Bruce, he _knows_. He told me that he figured it out by the way I move that I'm not just a substitute, that Dick Grayson is the real Robin and you must be Batman. He's NOT going to let me just go. Now that he's figured out that he got the real Robin, he'll do anything to keep me. "

Batman leaned back against the wall with a thump and grimaced as his leg twinged. Oh, this was worse than he'd thought. If Dick were just another one of his Robins, that was one thing. But Robin was the man's obsession and had been for five years. And he'd lost the boy in his own palace. Lee was obsessed and would stop at nothing to retrieve the real Robin. He looked down at his son and saw that Robin looked thin, pale and tired. He often forgot that Robin was still growing and didn't have the stamina of a grown man.

"Have something to eat, Robin." He pulled two of the ill-fated meal bars out of his utility belt and handed one to the boy.

"I don't want anything," Robin said quietly. "I...I don't think I could."

"You need the energy. Go ahead, I brought these along with me." Batman watched as the boy started chewing on it, then ate more quickly when he recognized the flavor.

"You got me chocolate caramel?" Robin said indistinctly through the bar. "You hate anything that looks or tastes like candy! And it isn't even organic."

"I made an exception just this once," Batman said with a half-smile. "Tomorrow you're back on whole grains again." He peeled his own bar and began to eat. Much too sweet but he could choke it down.

"So," Robin said, munching on the last bit and licking his fingers. "How did you know where I was?"

Batman shifted uncomfortably. "I...uh...I was there at Hamilton School. I got a job as a kitchen worker."

A mix of resentment and astonishment fought for dominance on Robin's face. "You didn't trust me to handle this one solo, so you came out to keep an eye on me!"

"I trusted you just fine," Batman said defensively. "But it was your first real solo. I...wanted to make sure you were okay. You can hardly complain about that now!" Batman said pointedly.

Robin's mouth opened, then he closed it again. He sighed. "Okay. I gotta be honest. I'm really glad you were watching my back, 'cause if you hadn't been there, Lee..." His voice trailed off. He pulled his knees up to his chin and hid his face.

"Robin, I was there to observe only unless it looked like you needed me," Bruce said. "You did fine."

"Yeah, until they dragged me to the office and stuffed me on a plane to Rheelasia," Robin said, voice muffled. "My God, Bruce, if you hadn't arrived when you did...I wouldn't be dead but I'd wish I was. If you hadn't been undercover at Hamilton, you might never have found me. I'd have been trapped with Lee until I died...or I killed him. "He lifted his head and stared bleakly into space.

Batman ran a hand through the boy's hair. "I promise you this, Dick, no matter the circumstances, I would have found you. If it took that last penny I had, I'd have brought you home."

Robin said, still not meeting Batman's eyes, "When I planned all this, looking for Rufus, I wasn't afraid of any child molesters. I knew I could take care of myself, but I've never see anyone like Lee. It...it...bothers me. With most of the crooks in Gotham, it's nothing personal, just business, y'know? They still try to kill us, but that's it...They don't want to destroy your soul...I don't know what to call it...But the Generalissimo..." Robin shivered again. "He creeps me out. Even being in the same room as him is... I dunno how to explain it...Even Joker isn't as twisted somehow."

"I understand," Batman said. "You know, the Joker isn't really crazy. Everything he does has a method and a purpose; every move he makes is calculated to achieve a goal. His thinking is not disordered. Instead, he projects madness as a way of spreading terror and chaos among his victims. Singh Manh Lee, now..."Batman's eyes grew dark. "He's another case entirely. I don't think he's crazy in the accepted sense. I think he's simply evil. Lee will use and destroy to give himself pleasure, regardless of the outcome. I'm sorry you had to see that, son," Batman said softly. "I'm sorry I ever allowed you to be introduced to the dark side of his world."

Robin nodded, arms still clasped around his knees. "Doesn't matter, Bruce," he said. "Other kids got introduced to him before me and none of them volunteered. At least I knew that I was going into danger, even if I messed it up and got caught." He looked over at Batman. "And I had you, whether I liked it or not."

They were both silent for a long time, thinking. Batman knew that keeping Dick out of Lee's hands would be difficult, especially with a game leg. Nevertheless, he decided that he would do whatever was necessary and yes, kill or die if he had to, to keep Dick safe.

Dick slumped a bit, holding his hands out over the tiny fire. Seeing that, Batman tucked the cape more firmly around his boy. "Go ahead and sleep, Robin. I'll keep watch."

"Y'sure?" was all Robin got out before his eyes closed and he dropped off. Batman waited till then before he examined his own injury. He hadn't told Robin how deeply the shrapnel had pierced his leg or how much blood he'd lost. He pulled a first aid kit out of his utility belt and wrapped a gauze bandage around his thigh, tying it tight. The bleeding had stopped for now, but there was still debris inside his leg that would have to come out somehow.

He didn't like to think about how close it had been. Just the memory of what he'd seen when opened that door was enough to make him want to punch something. Or someone. If he'd been just five minutes later ...no, it didn't bear thinking about. Not for the first time he regretting allowing Lee to live. He held his son more tightly and swore he'd keep him out of the bastard's hands somehow.


	15. Rufus Garrett

CHAPTER 15

Although Batman had intended to remain awake, he was exhausted and injured. Some time in the middle of the night he woke. The fire had died down to a few coals, but that wasn't what had roused him. He heard a low sobbing and felt Robin, curled up against him, trembling. He should have expected this. Robin had had nightmares the entire first year he'd lived at the manor. He still had them periodically.

"Robin...Dick...Dick...wake up, son," Batman said softly until the weeping slowed. "It's a nightmare, that's all."

Robin opened bleary eyes and slowly seemed to realize where he was. "Batman..." he said, rubbing them. "Sorry...sorry about that...I dreamed I was back in Lee's bedroom but ...you never got there..." Robin sat up. "Don't think I want to sleep, now. I can keep watch if you want to get some shut-eye. Think I'll add some wood to the fire..." He got up and was putting another board on the fire when he caught sight of Batman's leg. "Why didn't you tell me?" He said quietly.

"Tell you what?" Batman asked.

"How bad your leg was? You need medical help," Robin knelt next to Batman and had begun to unwrap the gauze when he was stopped by a hand gripping his wrist.

"Don't," Batman said. "There isn't anything we can do about it here, anyway."

Robin sat back on his haunches and gazed steadily at his mentor. "What's wrong with it?"

"There are shrapnel fragments embedded near the bone, I think. I can still walk on it, although with pain, but the fragments will need to be removed."

Robin pulled his arm away from Batman and continued unwrapping the gauze, then tore away the fabric of Batman's suit. He hissed at what he saw. The flesh was hot and puffy, clearly infected. "And just when were you planning on telling me about this? Before or after we got caught?"

"You have your own worries right now. You don't need..."

"I need to know that my partner has my back," Robin said angrily. "You're the one who told me not to hide an injury, that it can jeopardize a mission if I go down!" He went over to the fire and found the small pan of water they'd managed to heat for themselves. "I'm going to clean this out. Give me your first aid kit." Robin held the pan in one hand and stretched out the other.

Batman meekly handed it over. Robin removed his useless silk cape and tore it into strips with Batman's knife. He used a piece as a wash cloth and began to sponge at the injured area, ignoring Batman's hisses of pain. The first aid kit had a small tweezers, so he removed what he could but realized that Batman was right. There was much more embedded than he could remove. Finally, he wrapped the wound with the remaining gauze and covered that with strips from his cape.

At last, Robin sat back next to Batman and pulled the cape over them both like a blanket. "I'll do recon when the sun's up," Robin said flatly. "Maybe I can find our contact."

Batman, who'd been silent during the entire process, jerked. "You will not," he said firmly. "You'll stay hidden while I recon. They're looking for you."

"Maybe so," Robin said fiercely. "But they'll catch _you_! You were limping all the way here; do you think the pain is any better after a night in the cold? Now, who are we looking for?"

Batman gave a long exhale and tried to get to his feet. He wasn't going to let Robin go out there alone. As he creaked upright, his leg gave way and he was able to stop himself from falling by grabbing at the wall. Robin put himself under one of Batman's arms and eased him back down again.

"You see? So where am I going?" Robin asked.

Defeated, Batman said, "You need to find clothing somehow. What you're wearing will stick out like a sore thumb...Okay, you need to find the Street of Lotuses. There's a grocer there called Hana Kim, a woman who has been smuggling young people out of the country for the past five years. After Lee's entanglement with the Mad Hatter, I set up an underground railroad for child-victims of Lee's brothels. Leslie's been running it for me." Bruce's face looked solemn. "If I had been too late to rescue you, it was my plan to get you to one of their medics. They have experience with...injuries...of that type."

Batman's contingency plans, Dick remembered. Batman was always prepared, as a hedge against fate if nothing else. "All right. I'll find or steal some clothes before I hit populated areas," Robin said. "I might be gone awhile." He got up and went over to the fire and, pulling some ashes out, smeared them over the red and green of his costume. "This might make me a bit less bright." He looked deep into Batman's worried eyes. "I'll be back later. And_don't _worry about me." With that, he slipped out into the early morning.

Batman shook his head. "Sorry, chum. I can't help worrying," he said.

* * *

CAPITOL CITY, RHEELASIA

RED LIGHT DISTRICT

It wasn't unusual to see two Anglo men wandering the streets here at any time of day. The quarter was known worldwide for its easily accessible services, sex with anyone or anything was readily available for a price. People from the West flew in daily to sample its wares, mostly men from the United States and Europe, where this type of sex trafficking was banned.

The two men weren't customers, however. Dressed in casual attire, Hamilton and Harrison, escorted by four of the palace guard and Mr. Pak went to a certain address and knocked on the door. A heavily painted young woman opened it. "We not open till tonight. Go away," she started to say when Mr. Pak moved forward and said something in Rheelasian.

She paled and opened the door wide to let them in. The inhabitants of the brothel, gathered for breakfast at the end of their working day, looked up at the intruders without interest and went back to their meal. The woman led the men down a long hall to a locked door. She quietly unlocked and opened it, allowing Hamilton and Harrison to enter. Pak and the guardsmen remained in the hallway.

Inside the dim room a teenage boy lay on a rumpled bed. He was slender and pale with dark hair, big blue eyes and a wary expression. "What do you want?" he asked, reaching for a cigarette from a side table. "I'm off duty."

"Garrett, it's good to see you looking so well for a dead kid," Harrison said.

Rufus Garrett sat upright, eyes wide with shock. "What are you doing here?"

"Maybe," Hamilton interrupted, entering the room and pulling Harrison and Pak with them. He closed the door. "The Generalissimo has an offer for you."

* * *

CAPITOL CITY, RHEELASIA

THE SLUMS

In the dawn light, Robin made his way carefully back to the inhabited parts of the city. Despite his bravado with Batman, he was still afraid of Lee's patrols and moved with all the stealth he'd been trained in. Near one burned out hovel, he saw a pile of rags and sorted through them. Clothing. It was ruined but it would work. He pulled off his Robin suit, taking pleasure in burying Lee's silks in a pile of garbage nearby. Then he put on an oversized, smelly shirt and pair of pants. He had to construct a makeshift belt to keep the pants up, but he had seen beggar children on the streets that were dressed like this. He thought he'd pass. The boots were last, although they didn't provide much protection for his feet, they were part of Lee's suit and had to go. His feet curled up against the cold mud, but he knew they'd toughen up.

The last remnants of Lee's "Robin" safely hidden, Dick moved swiftly toward the city. He found a battered conical hat in a trash can on one corner and put that onto his head; maybe it would serve to hide his eyes. He also found an empty tin can, to be held out for offerings to passersby as he'd seen other beggar children do. Now to find the Street of Lotuses.

He learned quickly that what signs he saw were lettered in Rheelasian script. He'd begun to study Mandarin and Cantonese but hadn't gotten to Rheelasian yet. But wait, he looked at one street sign more closely and broke out into a smile. Rheelasia wasn't universally literate either. On one sign for, he guessed, the Street of Lilies, there was a small picture of a lily. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. He was tempted to hold his nose on the Street of Lilies; it was crowded with perfume stalls. They seemed to be competing to draw customers in by having the most powerful perfumes wafting out into the street.

Unnoticed, Dick picked his way through the stalls. He wasn't the only child-beggar here, he saw. He'd rubbed dirt into his legs and arms to disguise his pale skin and he seemed to be passing so far.

* * *

CAPITOL CITY, RHEELASIA

RED LIGHT DISTRICT

"And what would that be?" Rufus asked angrily. "After everything...where can I go? Home? After I tried to kill that child-raper, I woke up here like this!" He pulled the blanket off his lap, showing one leg, cut off at the knee. "He said that killing was too good for me, but that was what he was gonna tell people to save face! I almost got him, too!" He pulled himself upright on the bed. "And now he sends me his 'special' clients...Does he think I'd trust his word?"

Hamilton took in the boy's thin, anorexic-looking body with a shuttered look. "I have his assurance that if you do this task for him, he'll wash his hands of you forever. We will fly you back to the United States. You can stay at the school if you want to, or we'll drop you off in the city of your choice and you can make your own way. In any case, you'll be out of here," Hamilton's gesture took in the stained walls and floor of the room as well as the noisome smell of the place.

Rufus lit another cigarette and didn't meet their eyes. "What does he want me to do?"

"Your friend, Dick Grayson, was a pupil at our school. He was our most recent shipment to Lee and unfortunately, he's been rescued by your Gotham City's Batman. They're both still in the country but lying low. We want you to find Grayson and be our eyes and ears." Hamilton said.

"Dick Grayson? What's he doing at your school? Did his fat-cat guardian throw him out or something?" Rufus asked. "Wish Batman had come and broken me out of here..."

"Will you do it? You'll be a street beggar as your cover," Hamilton said and reached into his pockets, pulling out a handful of Rheelasian _won_. "Here... this will get you started. You know some Rheelasian by now."

The boy stared at Hamilton, then grabbed for the money. "What happens to Dick?" he asked, reaching for a crutch in the corner by his bed.

"He's Lee's favorite boy right now and the Generalissimo wants him back, bad," Harrison shrugged. "Nothin' you can do for him in any case. If the patrols get him first, you don't get nuthin', so you want to be on your toes."

The boy looked ashamed for a moment, then stuffed the money in his pocket. "How do I contact you?" he asked.

Harrison handed him a miniature transmitter. "Just call us when you know something and we'll be there."

Something hardened in Rufus' face as he nodded. "Okay. I'll call you when I find him."


	16. The spider and its prey

CHAPTER 16

Rufus, on his crutch, moved out of the brothel as fast as he could travel. He'd been trapped inside for so long...so very long away from the sunshine, the air. He stopped for a moment just to breathe. He didn't know what he'd do when he found Dick Grayson, but he knew he was never going back to Generalissimo Lee's control. He dug his fist into a pocket and counted the money he'd been given. Nice. He could afford breakfast and a few bribes if he had to. And he knew just who to bribe. If Dick was one of Generalissimo Lee's Robins, he'd have heard about the underground railroad, sooner or later. If he needed to get out of the country fast, that's where he'd go.

He began stumping forward to a small shop on the corner of the block. He'd heard of the place but had never been allowed out of the brothel to see it, but the shop was as described. It sold every kind of pharmaceutical known to man and many used only by those in the east. He moved inside the doorway and saw nobody there.

"_Hello! Is anyone here?_" he called out into the shop in Rheelasian.

A short man came from the back room and looked at Rufus up and down. _"What do you want, foreigner?"_ the man said scornfully. _"You're one of Beloved Leader Lee's trash, aren't you?"_

_"And what if I am?" _ Rufus answered, his blue eyes flashing. _"I'm told that you know how trash like me can get out of this godforsaken country and away from the Beloved Leader!"_

_"Hmmmm," _said the man, eyeing the boy's ragged clothing. _"You haven't been one of Lee's boys in a while. He dump you?"_

_"Yeah," _Rufus said and pointed to his bad leg. _"He got real mad at me. I just got out of the brothel he sent me to. But enough of this...do you have information to sell or don't you? I can go somewhere else..." _He turned as if to leave.

_"Wait! Wait!" _the man shouted._ "Don't be so impatient, boy. You have money?"_

_"Enough," _Rufus said. _"How much does escape cost?"_

_"Twenty won," _the man said. _"And cheap at the price."_

_"Too expensive. I'll ask Dae-Ho at the market..."_

_"Fifteen then,"_ the man said. _"You won't get a better price anywhere!"_

Rufus stared into the shopkeeper's implacable eyes, knowing that as soon as he left the man would go to the brothel and try to collect any reward available for an escaped sex-slave. "_Twelve. And not a won more,_" Rufus declared.

The man sighed. _"You'll bankrupt me...all right...twelve won. Give me the money and I'll tell you who to see."_

Careful not to let the shopkeeper see just how much money he had, Rufus pulled twelve _won_ from his pocket and handed it to the man. _"Tell me," _he said.

_"The person you want to see is Hana Kim. She has a grocery stall on the Street of Lotuses. Look for the paper flowers she has hanging from the eaves. And good luck!" _the shopkeeper said, quickly pocketing his money. _"Give me five more won and I won't tell the police!"_

Scowling deeply, Rufus handed him a five-won piece and left as fast as he could. He didn't want to spare the money, but a real runaway would pay the extra.

Every child slave had heard stories about the underground railroad. It was financed by some rich American and existed to ferry any child prostitute out of the country. The hard part was finding them. Needless to say, the madams and pimps kept a close watch on their child-workers so that they wouldn't escape. Still, the word, the hope got out, seemingly on the breath of the wind. The children knew that escape was out there if they could only touch it.

As he made his way to the Street of Lotuses, he couldn't decide what to do. He could just contact Kim himself and take the ride out, away and free. Unless it was just another cheat. A road to another slavery somewhere else. Those slaves that disappeared never came back to tell their story; they could just have been sold to Thailand brothels instead of Rheelasian ones. Better the devil he knew than the one he didn't. No, he'd do this job for the Generalissimo and hope for the best; it was all he had.

As for Dick Grayson...he felt for where his left leg should have been and an old jealousy arose. Dick wasn't even Wayne's blood relative but he was doted on by his adoptive father and that ancient butler. Rufus' parents barely acknowledged his existence and he'd lost his home just because Dad's new trophy wife didn't like him. Now Grayson was in trouble...And Batman, of all people, had come all the way to Rheelasia to rescue him! Rufus bit his lip and stumped harder. When he was Lee's *Robin*, he'd prayed for rescue, wished that somebody would take him out of there but nobody had cared enough to come. Yet the rich man's son was able to draw the Batman to his aid, probably because Bruce Wayne had pulled some strings to get his boy back. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair. Well, he'd make sure that Dick Grayson didn't miss out on anything that Rufus had gone through.

He looked up at the street sign...he was here. The Street of the Lotuses. There in the middle of the street was a tiny stall with paper flowers on the eaves. He found a spot across from it and chose his beggar's pitch. He sat down, making sure that his amputated leg showed clearly as well as his crutch and held out his begging can to passersby, seeding it with a couple of low value coins. He set himself to wait for his prey to come to him.

* * *

Dick was tired and his head was spinning from hunger. He'd been down a million streets and had been wandering all day but he'd found nothing that looked like a grocery.

Finally he decided to sit down and pretend to be a beggar for a while, just for the rest. He had seen more people with blue eyes than he'd expected for such an isolated nation as Rheelasia. Then he remembered Lee's history. As far as he knew, Lee had been importing little blonde girls even before Robin had stopped the man's Gotham shipment. That would be well over five years then, maybe as long as ten? That was how long Lee had been in power...The ones that got sent to the brothels later had children of their own...Maybe blue eyes weren't that unusual here. Still, Dick kept his eyes and chin down as he held up the can for spare change. He must have looked poor; he certainly smelled like a beggar. A few citizens had dropped coins into his can so far. He wished he knew what they were worth. He needed to get food for Batman and himself. Batman...Bruce...what was he going to do? That infection hadn't looked good at all. It was up to him to find medical care for him. Somehow.

He looked around and decided to keep searching. If he found nothing by the end of the day, he'd try to steal some food and take it back to Batman.

The day plodded on and so did Dick Grayson. At last the sun began to set and he knew he'd found nothing. He went to a stand selling grilled chicken and bread. Dick pointed to his ears, shook his head to indicate that he was deaf and held out his coins. The woman at the stand had a kind face. She reached out a hand and tilted Dick's chin up, then clucked when she saw his blue eyes. She rifled around under the stand and found a broken basket, then shoved half a dozen buns into it followed by a whole grilled chicken. She closed the hand that held the coins and put a finger to her lips with a smile.

Dick smiled back and nodded, then scampered away as fast as he could. So, maybe not everyone here was an enemy and Lee's hold on his people wasn't as strong as the dictator thought it was. Moving carefully, although he was heavily laden, he made his way through the slums and into the desolate areas of the city. Dusk had turned to night before he found the hut again. Silently, he put the basket down and peered into the dark hut.

"Batman?" he hissed. He barely saw a dark lump in a corner of the hut. "Batman? Can you hear me?"

"Hmmmmm?" a gravelly voice said. "Is that you, Dick?"

"Yeah, 's'me," Dick said, and picking up the basket, went into the hovel, careful to shut the door behind him. The fire was out, but Batman had a lighter and Dick quickly restarted it. He wasn't happy at what he saw. It didn't look as though Batman had moved all day. Kneeling next to his mentor, he pulled the cowl back and saw that Bruce's face was flushed and sweating. The water he'd left for him was gone. He grabbed the pan and went out to get more.

They'd used water purification tablets and boiled the water last night, so it probably wasn't the local version of Montezuma's revenge. It had to be the infected wound added to dehydration and hunger. Well, he couldn't do anything much about the infection, but he could help the dehydration and hunger. He filled the pan and his begging can with water and brought it back inside, then started a broth in the pan with part of the chicken. He boiled the water in the can and added purification tablets to both. When they'd boiled for a while, he went over to Bruce.

"Bruce? Bruce you have to wake up..." he said to the man who'd fallen back into a stupor. "Come on, you need liquids..." Dick poked at Bruce until he finally roused.

"Wha...huh?" Bruce said as Dick held the can to his mouth.

Dick tipped some water into Bruce's mouth. Bruce sputtered but sat upright. "You trying to drown me?" Bruce said dully.

"You need liquids," Dick said forcefully. "Drink! All of it."

For a wonder, Bruce just gave him a look but obeyed. After he finished the water in the cup, Dick poured broth into it and handed it to him. "This too. Sip at it."

Bruce, watching Dick with amusement, began to sip from the can. "Not bad. Where did you get the food?" he asked as bit into the roll Dick gave him.

Sighing with relief, Dick sat back and ate his own chicken and bread. "I'm a successful beggar boy. I made...uh..." He pulled the coins out of his pocket and counted them. "Five _won _today. And the woman who gave me the food wouldn't even take payment. She just gave it to me and held her finger to her lips not to tell."

Bruce handed the can to Dick, who refilled it and added meat, then gave it back. "So, Lee's stranglehold over his people..."

"Not as complete as everybody thinks," Dick said. "I didn't find the Street of the Lotuses, but I'm still covering the city. I'll go look some more tomorrow." He waited for Batman's objection; but it didn't come.

Finally, Bruce shifted his weight. "I've been feverish all day. I think it's my leg. It's begun to swell and the skin discoloration is spreading. If you find Hana Kim tomorrow, I want you to stay there with her and get out of this country."

Dick's eyes widened. "And leave you here? No way!" he said in outrage. "You need somebody to take care of you!"

Bruce rubbed his eyes wearily. "Kim can send someone to get me. Don't forget _you're_ the target here, not me so much. Every moment you spend out in public is another chance they could catch sight of you. Dick...they _can't _catch you! You have to get out of Rheelasia, as fast as you can! When you get out, send Superman after me. If he won't do it, try Oliver Queen. Ollie won't let a stupid United Nations charter stop him. Damn...the League needs a covert ops team...some outsiders that nobody would suspect of doing the League's dirty work. If I get out of here, I'll start one..."

Bruce's mind was starting to wander. Dick banked the fire and put the remaining food away for the next day. His dirty rags were smelly-awful, so he stripped them off and folded them on the floor. He cuddled in next to Bruce, pulling the batcape around them both for warmth and hoped for a better day tomorrow.

* * *

The next morning found Rufus back at his spot. He'd bought a hearty breakfast and had even made some money. He pushed his bad leg out to disrupt traffic as much as possible and made sure that his crutch was visible. Not a bad way to make a living, he mused. He was mildly troubled about Dick Grayson but reminded himself that Dick had gotten himself into this. If he'd learned anything in Rheelasia, it was that you took care of yourself. Nobody was going to look out for you. And you never trusted anyone to have your best interests at heart. He sank into a meditative doze and watched the foot traffic go by. Sooner or later, Dick Grayson would come here. It was just a matter of time.

Late in the day, Dick was still scouting the streets when he turned a corner and saw a street sign with a familiar flower, a lotus. At last! He'd found the Street of Lotuses! Now he just had to find a grocer...He stopped and counted how many groceries lay on the half mile long street and wailed silently. On both sides of the street were stands, buildings, sheds and each sold groceries.

He didn't speak the language and had managed so far by pretending to be deaf. But here? How was he going to find Hana Kim? He almost gave way to panic, then remembered that he was Robin. The real one. He wasn't going to give way to despair, not when Batman needed him. Okay, weed out the stores run by men. Hana was a woman. That would at least cut the number down some, but unless found a short-cut, the search was going to take days!

Resolutely, he squared his shoulders and walked up the street. As usual, other street beggars were settled in corners and tucked next to trash cans. His beggar boy disguise would help him blend in, if the boys already present didn't resent the Dick's adding to the competition. He looked around, man...man...man...old man...didn't women run stores here? man...young man... He stepped around a beggar boy with an amputated leg but almost fell over when a skinny hand grabbed him by the ankle.

"Hey! What are you doing!" Dick yelled before he realized he'd just given himself away. The beggar just looked up at him and said, "Dick, long time no see," Rufus grinned.

Dick stood in shock for a moment before dropping to sit down next to Rufus. "Rufe!" he said in an elated whisper. "Rufe, they told me you were dead!"

"Not yet, I'm not," Rufus said. "So what are you doing _here_, Dickie?" Rufus saw a man passing by and reached out his cup for a coin. As it plinked into the can, Rufus turned back to his schoolmate.

"I got sent to Hamilton," Dick said, conscious that he couldn't blow his identity as Robin. "I wanted to make some pocket money that Bruce didn't know about and got caught with some meth on me. The Court sent me to Hamilton. I found out about Cabin four..."

Rufus ran a hand over his face. "Aw geez, Dick, that was a really dumb thing to do, letting them send you to that school! You got shipped to Generalissimo Lee, didn't you? What happened?" A strange mix of curiosity and sympathy tinged his voice.

"I got lucky," Dick said, keeping one eye on the crowd. "Batman rescued me before Lee could do anything to me. That guy is seriously twisted, Rufe. He's got a thing about Robin... So what happened to you? How did you get away? Why do they say you're dead?" Dick pointedly looked at Rufus' leg.

Rufus scowled and ran a hand over his useless knee. "I was Lee's 'Robin' for four months; it took that long for me to get desperate enough to try and kill him. I hit him with one of the big lamps beside his bed. Didn't knock him out, just made him woozy. He hit a panic button before I could hit him again and finish him off. Four guys came running in. The Generalissimo wouldn't let them kill me; he said he had a better revenge. Took down a sword from a display over the fireplace and did this..." He gestured at his leg. "The bastard said that I was dead to him because I'd lifted my hand against him. It saves face for him, letting it be known around that I was executed. Anyway, after I lost my leg...I passed out and woke up in a brothel. I was held there for a long time, until I finally saw my chance and escaped. Looks like they didn't bother to come after me, or Lee doesn't care anymore," Rufus concluded. "I've been earning a living as a street beggar ever since."

Rufus gave his friend a long look. "So, how come Batman came after a circus orphan like you?" Rufus asked casually and emptied the coins from the can into his pocket. "You're not really Robin, are you?" he said and snickered.

Dick started when Rufus said that, but realized with relief that he'd only been joking. "Naw, nothing like that," he said with a sarcastic grin. "Bruce must've contacted Batman after I *disappeared* from Hamilton and sent him after me." Dick shrugged. "You know Bruce, he has contacts everywhere."

"Yeah," Rufus agreed. "I know Bruce." Bruce, the caring father. Rufus grit his teeth, his mind made up. He put a hand on Dick's arm. "So, why are you out here and not flying home with the Bat? He leave you behind?"

"They wrecked his plane and Batman's hurt," Dick said glumly. "I'm looking for someone who can get us out of this country. It's a lady called Hana Kim; she owns a grocery somewhere on this street." He studied the endless stretching line of stands and shacks, then shook his head.

"So, you're on the run, huh? Maybe I could help you find her," Rufus said. "But it looks like it's getting dark. Everyone is shuttering their stores. We can try tomorrow." Rufus gave his friend a close look. "Do you have a place to sleep? C'mon with me. You can spend the night at my spot; you'll be safe there." He fingered the transmitter in his pocket.

Dick watched the opportunities shutting up shop around him and sighed. "No, it's okay Rufe. I've got to get back to Batman and check on him." He brightened. "You want to come too? We've found a really good sheltered spot. It's a burned out house but it's weather-tight."

Rufus nodded. Oh, this was just too good to be true. Catch Batman and Dick Grayson! Surely Lee would keep his word with such a prize. "Okay, it sounds better than the alley I was planning to sleep in. We can find that lady tomorrow."

"Okay," Dick checked the street. No patrols. "Come on. I'll show you where it is."

Rufus followed obediently, hand in his pocket.


	17. Betrayal

CHAPTER 16

As they walked away from the Street of the Lotuses, it began to rain heavily. Dick could feel his feet sinking into the gooey mud. Rufus, who had shoes, fared better. Dick kept a lookout for the generous lady with the food stall, but her stand was empty, as were all the other food sellers they passed. The rain had driven them in if the coming darkness hadn't.

Doggedly, he led Rufus toward the ruined part of the city as it got darker and darker. Finally, he spotted the little house they'd chosen as a hide out. There was no evidence that it was occupied from the outside. It was supposed to be that way, but Dick still worried. Motioning for Rufus to be silent, he tapped on the door, then opened it to find Batman in a defensive stance next to the fire. "It's okay, Batman," Dick said, coming into the house. "It's just me. And I found Rufus!" he said, pulling Rufus in behind him.

Batman looked surprised but gestured towards the fire and eased himself back down. "Well, come on in and get dry." He nodded at Rufus too. Both boys huddled near the flames.

"Is there any food?" Dick asked. "I couldn't afford anything and I didn't make any money today."

Batman smiled and rummaged in the basket. "There's chicken broth in the pan and here's the rest of the bread. It's stale but it'll soften if you dunk it in the soup. I figured the easiest way to keep the chicken from spoiling was to keep it simmering. Help yourselves."

Dick emptied the money out of his begging can, as did Rufus and they dug in. It wasn't until he had eaten everything left that Dick looked guiltily at Batman. "Batman, I'm so sorry. We took it all and didn't leave any for you!"

"It's okay, Dick," Batman said, smiling affectionately at the boy. "I had something earlier. You two have been hiking around the city; you needed it more than I did." His gaze sharpened when he saw Dick's bare feet. "You dumped the boots?" At Dick's nod, he said, "Let's take a look. You were out all day and your feet won't have had time to toughen up."

Dick shrugged and stuck his feet in Batman's lap. Batman carefully examined them for cuts or wounds. Finally, he said, "You're doing okay, but be careful. Out here an injury can get infected very easily." Knowing the truth of that, Dick nodded.

"I'll be careful, Batman," he said, pulling his feet back under him as he sat on the floor.

Rufus, watching the attention paid to Dick Grayson, felt something sour inside him. He felt that somehow these two had something that he'd never known, and Batman wasn't even Dick's father! Why was it that Dick managed to charm everyone he met? The sourness expanded into something like burning envy.

Batman turned to Rufus. "So, Rufus, we had heard that you were dead. How is it that you survived? How did you get away?"

Rufus retold the same tale he'd given Dick and Batman nodded as he recounted it. "So, they aren't looking for you at all?" Batman asked, voice even but eyes sharp.

"No, sir," Rufus replied. "As a cripple, I wasn't worth much there anyway. The customers didn't like me, except for the ones Lee sent..." He paused, averting his face briefly.

"And Lee just let you go? After all the trouble he went to having you shipped in from America?" Batman asked.

"I dunno what Lee was thinking," Rufus said, blushing red. "But he never wanted to see me again after I tried to kill him. Besides, I heard that he got a new Robin, one he really really likes. He has no interest in me, not even to torture me anymore." Rufus finished the last of his bread, though he'd lost all his hunger. "Dick tells me you were sent here to rescue him. So where's Robin? I don't see him around anywhere."

"Robin's at home," Batman said flatly. "He's in school. He doesn't participate in all my cases."

"Just as well," Rufus said, eyes burning. "I'd never bring a kid I cared about to a hell-hole like this."

Batman's expression didn't change, but Dick could see that the comment bothered him.

"I've lived in Gotham all my life but I've never seen you before, Batman," Rufus continued. "It's really cool to meet you...So, how come you're here to rescue Dick but you didn't come to rescue me? I live in Gotham, just like he does. I even go to the same school. Why is Dick more important than I was?" He gave a bitter little laugh. "I know. Stupid question, huh? Why should you care about me when my own folks didn't." He scrubbed at his cheek and turned his head away. "Sorry. I know it's not your fault. Bruce Wayne is a pretty powerful guy and I'm sure he sent you." Although his face was averted, they could see the tears in his eyes. "Hey, I gotta pee. I'll be outside for a minute. Be right back." Before Batman or Dick could say anything, Rufus slipped out of the door, moving fast for a kid on a crutch.

Dick got up to follow him out, but Batman shook his head and laid a restraining hand on Dick's arm. "I think he needs a moment alone...God knows, I do." Batman closed his eyes and wondered how he could possibly answer Rufus' question. How do you tell a horribly abused fourteen year old that you can't save everyone? How do you explain why the rich kid gets a rescue but the average kid doesn't? And why _this_ rich kid got a rescue...?

"Batman..." Dick began, but Batman cut him off.

"He's right, Dick," Batman said, rubbing his tired face with both hands. "He's right. You did come first, and you know why that is, but it isn't something I can explain to Rufus. Damn that Lee! Rufus deserved a rescue just as much as you did! And so did all the other children Lee has destroyed. But I'm just one man and I can only stretch so far..." He went quiet.

* * *

Outside the hut, Rufus moved a few feet away and removed the transmitter from his pocket. He hit the 'on' button and made the call. Harrison answered immediately.

"You have him?"

"Him and Batman," Rufus said, wiping his eyes and runny nose, but he kept his voice steady. Now both Batman and Dick would get what was coming to them. He was going home! "They're holed up in a half-burned out house in the wastelands. Here's how you find it..." Finally he ended," And you're gonna take me back to America, right?"

"Right," said Harrison. "You'll be flying with us. Pick a city, any city and you'll go there with some startup money."

"Not Gotham," Rufus said.

"Fine by us. Why dontcha try San Francisco or Berkeley? They take all kinds there," Harrison gave a snort and signed off.

Rufus pocketed the transmitter and went back into the hut. Batman and Dick Grayson both watched as he took his place next to the small fire.

"Still rainy?" Dick ventured, finally.

"No, it's stopped. The moon is out," Rufus said. He held out his hands to warm them in the chill night. "Dick says he's looking for some grocer to get you out of the country. You do know that this person is as likely to sell you out as help you. Nobody does favors for anyone in this country. At least, that's what I've noticed..."

Batman watched the firelight on the boy's face, so much like Dick's, they could be brothers, and his heart ached. How many times had this boy been betrayed? First by his own parents, then the people running the school, by Lee and his underlings. And last, by Batman himself. He was responsible for this. He'd known for years what Lee was and he'd never done anything to bring that monster down. He had the resources, the international contacts; he could have put pressure on Lee. And then the pipeline of children from Gotham, his own city! Going to Lee by way of that damned school. Those lost children were his responsibility...

"Rufus," Batman said slowly. "I owe you an apology."

Rufus' eyes opened wide. The Bat was apologizing to him? "What?"

"You deserved a rescue just as much as Dick did. It's true, I came here at Bruce Wayne's request, but my mission is to serve all the people of Gotham, not just the well-connected ones. I'm truly sorry about what you went through and if there's any help I can give you now, you have it."

Rufus just sat and stared, nonplussed. He searched Batman's face for a long time, then said, "You really mean that."

Batman sighed. "Rufus, I do. You're right. You shouldn't have had to go through what you did. I wasn't there for you, but I'm here now. Let me help."

"Um..." Rufus' eyes got wild. "I need to tell you something..."

But before he was able to say anything, they heard the sound of a jeep pulling up outside and feet running toward the house. Batman lurched upright, facing the door as it was broken down my multiple soldiers with guns.

Batman had moved to block the door, shouting at Dick, "Get out of here! Run!" He met Dick's eyes as he threw his first punch. "Get out of the country!" When Dick hesitated, Batman shouted louder, "That's an order!"

Dick, looking stricken, pulled a protesting Rufus toward the back of the hut. There was a small hole in the wall. Too small for a man, but the right size for a boy. Or two. He slithered through and tugged Rufus behind him. Rufus fell to the ground outside the house; he had forgotten his crutch. Dick grabbed him under an armpit and all but dragged him away into the darkness.

Behind them, the sound of blows followed them into the night. And then there was silence. The soldiers left the house and searched the area, but Dick and Rufus hid on the sloping roof of a neighboring building, where the soldiers wouldn't look. Lying there, Dick watched as they dragged an unconscious Batman from the house. He looked at his friend. Rufus was silent, in shock, he supposed. But then, Rufus hadn't had the training Robin had.

The soldiers fanned out and searched all night while the boys clung to the building and faded back into the shadows. Rufus said nothing, but wondered at Dick's unexpected skills. Finally, he could stand it no more and pulled Dick away from the roof's edge. "Dick, we gotta talk," he whispered.

Dick followed him into the deeper shadows. "Don't whisper," he murmured. "They can hear the hissing noises you make. Just talk very softly."

"Dick, this is all my fault," Rufus said, pulling the transmitter from his pocket, he handed it to Dick. "They offered me a deal. Give you up and Lee lets me go home." He looked away at his friend's stricken face. "I went outside and made the call. That's why they're here."

Angry, Dick pried the back off the transmitter, breaking a couple of fingernails in the process and removed the power source, then took apart the machinery inside. He hefted the remaining box in his hand and looked like he wanted to throw it with all his might, but restrained himself. It might give their position away more than it already had. "They can't track us by GPS now," he said, turning to Rufus. "So. Are you gonna shout now for the soldiers to come take me?"

Rufus shook his head. "Dick...no...All I want...have ever wanted was to go home." His face crumpled and tears began to stream from his eyes. "All I've dreamed about is getting away from here...They made the offer...I had to take it. And I was jealous...you've got a rich father who actually cares about you. And here you are, your Dad gets _Batman_, of all people, out here to rescue you! And what did I get? Nothing! I was just so mad..I went out and made the call. And then...and then Batman apologizes to me. To me! I'm nobody, nobody to him, anyway. I was about to tell him, warn him when they came and we had to get out." He crouched down, hands covering his head. "Dick, I am so sorry! I'm sorry! I wish I could take it back, but I can't. I was so stupid!"

Dick sat in silence, holding the remains of the transmitter. What would Batman do? Time to start thinking like Robin. "We've got to get out of here. If they tracked us with the transmitter, they'll be combing this area for days. We have to get out and back into the city."

Rufus looked up. "You mean, you'll take me with you? You still trust me?"

Dick glared at his erstwhile friend. "Not really, but I can't leave you here. Will you still help me find my contact out of here?"

Rufus nodded vigorously. "Yes. I can. I will." He was about to tell Dick about the store with the paper flowers but something stopped him. He felt terrible about his betrayal and no longer wanted to give him up to Lee. But he still was afraid to trust. If he told Dick where the store was, what was to stop him from leaving Rufus behind and taking the road out himself? Rufus had already botched Lee's deal. This was his only chance home and he had to make sure that Dick took him along too.

After moonset, the two boys made their way off the roof and moved from shadow to shadow. Even burdened with Rufus, Dick was amazingly fast and good at finding cover. He seemed to know how to disappear from plain sight in a way that Rufus was beginning to find almost magical. They both stopped to rest after they left the last jeep behind.

"Man, how did you learn that?" Rufus asked when they were clear of the search area.

"Learn what?" Dick asked, scanning the area for more soldiers.

"How to disappear like that," Rufus said. "I didn't think anybody could do that except maybe Navy Seals or spies or metas or something."

Dick relaxed and grinned, his teeth shining in the dark. "I read a lot of detective books, I guess. I don't know, I guess it must come naturally." He took a last look around. "You ready? Let's go."


	18. The Ultimatum

CHAPTER 18

By morning, they entered the city. They made their way to the Street of Lotuses as fast as they could but had to stop and hide several times because of the patrols.

"Wow, they're really out in force," Dick commented to Rufus as they crouched behind some trash cans.

"They want you," Rufus said. "Lee can be pretty single-minded."

"Yeah," Dick said with a worried look. "And they've got Batman."

Rufus gave him a frustrated snort. "Forget Batman. What about you? Everyone says that Batman can get out of anything; he's almost like Superman!"

"He doesn't have Robin to help him out," Dick said. "Batman doesn't do it alone..." He craned his neck around the trash can. "Coast is clear. We'd better get moving." He slid an arm around Rufus chest and helped him up. The two boys kept going.

A few minutes later, they got to the Street of Lilies. Rufus glanced around for patrols but saw nothing. He turned to Dick, who nodded. "Looks okay," Dick said. "Now, how do we find this place? Do you know enough Rheelasian to ask for directions?"

Feeling guilty, Rufus pointed toward the small building with paper flowers drooping from the eaves. "Try that one. I...uh...don't think a guy owner would put flowers up in his doorway. Probably owned by a woman, don't you think?"

Dick shrugged. "It's as good as any other strategy. C'mon, let's go." He helped Rufus over to the doorway. A small, thin woman stood behind a counter and smiled benignly at the boys. She said something in Rheelasian that Rufus answered.

"She said, 'Good morning, what can I get you?'" Rufus interpreted. At hearing his words in English, the woman started and stared at the boys more closely. When she saw their eyes, she quickly went to the door and shut it, then locked it.

"I know who you must be," she said in English. "Which one of you is Dick Grayson?"

Both boys stood there, aghast. Dick began to look for exits and getaways, when the woman smiled suddenly, her face brightening. "Don't worry, I'm not with the police. You're here looking for an escape, aren't you? You were kidnapped by President Lee, yes? You're looking for the underground railroad? I'm Hana Kim."

Still suspicious, Dick asked, "Why are you looking for Dick Grayson?" He subtly backed himself and Rufus toward the door.

Smiling softly, the woman held out a hand. "You must be Dick; I've heard so much about you from Leslie. Our group is funded by Wayne Enterprises and managed by Dr. Leslie Thompkins."

Dick's eyes widened. "Bruce never mentioned your group to me. Not at all."

"I doubt he discusses all his charitable works with you, Dick," Hana said sympathetically. "And in any case, rescuing brothel children isn't something you talk about with your fourteen year old son. He probably wanted to protect you."

Dick frowned a bit. "I'm pretty sure he did," he said shortly. "But I'm glad we found you. Can you get Rufus out of the country?"

Rufus turned to Dick. "Hey, what about you? Batman told us to get out of the country, fast! And you're in more trouble than I am!"

"I'm not going anywhere," Dick said. "I can't leave Batman. He rescued me, the least I can do is try to help him."

Rufus gawped. "You're a fourteen year old kid. What can you do?"

"You'd be surprised," Dick said softly.

* * *

PRESIDENTIAL PALACE OF SINGH MANH LEE

Batman woke slowly through a groggy haze. What had happ...Dick! Was he safe? His eyes flew open and, to his startlement, he was in a comfortable bed in a...hospital? His bad leg lay outside the covers, well wrapped in bandages, and an IV led to his arm. His costume had been removed but his cowl remained; he could feel it on his head. He tried to raise his hand and discovered that he was in restraints, both arms and legs and...chest as well. The last thing he remembered was being beaten up by Lee's soldiers and dragged out of their hiding place. He'd shouted for Dick and Rufus to get out. What had happened to them? Where on earth was he?

"Hello? Anyone there?" he shouted. "Anyone?"

A small Asian nurse came in the door and smiled shyly at him. "Hello. I'm

Li Na, your nurse," she said in perfect English.

"Where am I?" Batman asked. "What is this place?"

"You are in the Presidential Palace of the Beloved Leader, President-for-Life Singh Manh Lee," she replied. "He has commanded that you be given the best of medical treatment. The shrapnel in your leg has been removed and your infection is being treated with antibiotics. You also had some bumps and bruises, but those will heal with time. Are you in any pain?" she asked sympathetically.

Batman just stared at her. He'd beaten the crap out of Lee when they'd last met and now he was being treated as a star patient? "What? Why?"

The door opened again and a battered but smiling Generalissimo Lee stepped in. "Good morning, Batman," he said cordially, waving the nurse away. After she'd left and closed the door behind her, Lee pulled a chair next to Batman's bedside and sat down. "Feeling better?"

"What's your game, Lee?" Batman demanded.

"Batman, or should I say, Bruce? I want you in excellent health," Lee said, settling comfortably into his chair. "You'll have to be to carry out my plans."

Batman scowled at Lee while secretly testing the restraints. "What plans are those? You know I'll do nothing for you!"

"Oh, I think you will," Lee said easily. "Once Robin is in my custody again, you'll have a series of tasks to carry out for me. That is, if you ever want to see him alive and well again."

Batman felt his muscles tense and regretted his inability to strangle Lee where he sat. "You won't get Robin. He's out of your hands and he'll stay that way," he rasped.

"Oh, I don't think so. That boy, Rufus? He's agreed to bring your boy back in where he belongs. Back to me. He's the one who alerted my troops to your location and he's with Robin right now. Rufus knows what's good for him." The Generalissimo leaned back in his chair. "Bruce, you know I've never forgiven you for the fiasco you made of my trip to Gotham. I'd paid for those nine little girls in advance and not only did I lose the money, but you damaged my yacht as well." He leaned forward. "I understand that Robin had a hand in keeping my cargo from me as well. Bright boy. You should be proud of him. In any case, I've had five years to study you two and I think I can be confident that Robin is not going to leave you behind. So here is how it will be, _Bruce_," Lee smiled broadly. "You will rest here so that you can be fit enough to carry out my plans when I release you. Oh yes, I'm flying you back to Gotham City. Robin will remain here with me, where I shall enjoy his company. And you will do everything I ask of you, quickly and efficiently. If you fail in any of your tasks, Robin will suffer for it." Lee's eyes glittered. "Do you doubt that I can do all I promise?"

"If it involves human suffering, I don't doubt you, Lee," Batman gritted. "But remember, you don't have him yet."

* * *

HANA KIM'S STORE

Hana locked the door to the small shop and pulled the boys into the back room. "Well, whether you are going or not, you're probably hungry. Have some breakfast while I make some arrangements." Her nose wrinkled. "And you both could use come clean clothing and a bath."

Neither boy argued with the prospect of breakfast and sat down hungrily to their rice porridge. Hana soon came back with two sets of clean clothes and a crutch for Rufus. "The shower is ready," she said. "You two get clean and you'll probably want to take a nap. I'll contact some people and plan to get you out tonight." Her eyes sharpened as she looked at Dick. "Bruce Wayne won't thank me for letting you stay here, Dick. You're going."

Dick took his shower and considered his options. Could he call for help? While they were holed up, Batman had said something about the League not wanting to get involved in Rheelasian business and to call Oliver Queen instead. He didn't know the country or the presidential palace. He didn't speak the language. He finished the shower, much cleaner but still undecided. He also felt dead on his feet, so he didn't object to taking a nap, feeling relatively safe for the first time in days.

He was shaken awake hours later by Hana Kim. Rufus, head buried in his blanket, was just starting to move. "Dick, you must leave the country immediately," Hana said, holding a piece of paper. "Look. They are handing these out all over the city."

Dick picked up the paper she handed him and read it, going pale. Written in English and Rheelasian, the flyer was addressed to him. 'Dick Grayson', it said. 'Batman is a prisoner of the Rheelasian people. If you do not turn yourself in to authorities by midnight tonight, Batman will be executed by firing squad. If you turn yourself in, you will be treated humanely and Batman will be released. You know that I am serious. President-for-Life, Singh Manh Lee.'


	19. Bird in a Net

CHAPTER 19

THREE HOURS LATER

In the dusty afternoon, a crippled beggar boy approached the gatehouse of the presidential palace. At first, the guard didn't want to listen to him, but the boy insisted. "The Beloved Leader has two guests staying in the palace: Americans named Hamilton and Harrison. Take them this note," the boy handed the guard a handwritten note in a script the guard didn't recognize. "They will reward you and will want to speak to me. I'll wait here." He handed the guard a precious five won, all that was left of the money he'd been given by the two. The guard grinned through stained teeth and left the guardhouse.

The boy squinted up at the sun. He couldn't be gone too long... To his satisfaction, both Harrison and Hamilton came running after the guard to the front gate, wearing matching grins.

"Have you got him?" Harrison demanded, cracking his knuckles.

"I know where you can get him," Rufus said. "Take me with you and I'll show you where you can find him."

Harrison ran back to the jeep they had been issued by the President and had soon pulled up to the gate. "Get in," he said. While Rufus climbed into the jeep, Harrison looked back at his boss. "You coming, sir?"

"No," Hamilton said. "I'll tell His Excellency that his 'shipment' has been retrieved. He'll be glad to hear it and I'll be glad to get this done."

Harrison nodded and the jeep tore off at top speed. When they drew near to the Street of the Lotuses, Rufus put a hand on Harrison's arm. "We need to stop here. You don't want to spook him. I'm supposed to be on another street getting rope and a grapple for a rescue attempt. He wants to break into the palace and get Batman out," Rufus scowled. "I can't wait to see him get what he deserves."

"Okay," Harrison said. "You get out, then, and walk over to him. Tell him you didn't find anything, even though you searched all over for it. That ought to explain why it took you so long. Keep him distracted and looking away from this direction. Got it?"

Rufus nodded and, grabbing his crutch, made his way over to Hana Kim's shop. He tapped on the door and stood next to it until Dick came out to talk to him. Rufus maneuvered around so that Dick's back was to Harrison's end of the street. They both moved closer to the grocery's wall to avoid being stepped on by the passing crowd.

"I'm sorry," Rufus said. "Man, I tried. I really tried, but nobody has that kind of stuff here. Nobody goes in for mountain climbing in these parts. I still think you're crazy even for thinking about this. I mean, Batman told you to run for it, and he's nobody to you!"

"It may seem crazy, but I gotta help him," Dick started to say, when two big hands came from behind him and grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off the ground. The last thing Dick saw before darkness claimed him was Rufus' dispassionate face looking at him as he went down.

Harrison quickly tied the boy, wrists and ankles, with a loop around his neck and tossed him into the bed of the jeep. Rufus went to the side of the jeep and climbed in. "So, I get my ride home?" he asked Harrison.

Harrison gave a belly laugh. "I like your style, kid. Yeah, you earned your ride home. Say, you ever think about being a counselor in a school for juvenile delinquents?"

* * *

PRESIDENTIAL PALACE OF SINGH MANH LEE

Alone in the hospital room, Batman struggled with the restraints. The loosest one, naturally, was looped around his bad leg. Still, it was a start. He'd almost succeeded in freeing his foot when the door opened and Lee came in, followed by two men. They supported a boy between them: thin, dark hair, struggling furiously. Dick.

"Do you have anything to say to Batman?" Lee asked calmly, pulling the boy's head upright to show defiant blue eyes. Dick glared at Lee, and, suspending his weight between the two men, suddenly lifted his bound legs into a kick aimed at Lee's chin.

The men hauled the boy down as Lee fell backward. Climbing to his knees, then his feet, Lee smoothed his hair and dabbed at his bloody nose with a linen handkerchief. He approached Dick, who was smiling insolently, and gave him a savage backhand across the face. The boy went limp between the two men and Batman raged.

"Leave him alone!" he shouted, struggling harder at his bonds.

"As I said before, I have tasks for you in the United States," Lee said, still dabbing at his face. "This youngster will stay with me to ensure your compliance." Lee waved at the men, who dragged the boy away.

Batman watched them go, heart in his mouth. "What do you want?" he said finally.

"First, I want the Justice League to support Rheelasia's application to join the United Nations. Up till now, Superman has been quietly opposing it. You will override him, both as Bruce Wayne and as Batman," Lee said, tucking the handkerchief into his pocket. "Second, I want a forty nine percent share in Wayne Enterprises and WayneTech. You will sign over your shares to me, personally. Mr. Pak will go with you to assist in the transfer. While you will remain majority shareholder, your decisions will be guided by me, in the form of Mr. Pak."

Lee smiled and approached the bed where Batman lay confined. "You will also make a series of cash payments to my accounts in the Cayman Islands. Mr. Pak will instruct you." The Generalissimo leaned in toward Batman, "And if I smell so much as a hair of interference from the League or any of your allies, I don't need to tell you what will happen."

"Don't touch him," Batman growled low. "I'll do what you want, but don't you dare touch him."

"He will be luxuriously housed and well fed during his stay with me," Lee said pompously. "What do you take me for?"

Longing for nothing so much as Lee's throat between his hands, Batman forced iron control. "You and I both know what you are."

* * *

THREE HOURS PRIOR

Dick read the paper with Lee's ultimatum over again, his features stony. He looked up at Rufus, who was staring at him, not liking what he was seeing. "You're not gonna do it, are you? Are you crazy?" Rufus said. "Batman's nothing to you. You got a home waiting for you, a life, a Dad who loves you, for God's sake! This Batman guy is nothing to you!" Frustrated with Dick's silence, Rufus grabbed the paper away from him. "If you give yourself up, do you know what you're sentencing yourself to?"

Dick finally met his eyes. "Yeah, I do," he said. He looked over at Hana. "Can Rufus and I be alone for a few minutes, Hana? Please? I...got something I need to discuss with him."

Hana gave them both suspicious looks but didn't argue with the son of the man who was funding her operation. She left the room and shut the door behind her. Dick got up afterwards and checked to be sure she was gone, then went back to Rufus.

"Rufe, I'm giving myself up," he said, then held up a hand as Rufus began protesting. "Let me tell you why, 'cause I'm gonna need your help. But you're right, Dick Grayson doesn't owe Batman anything. Robin does."

Rufus looked at him blankly for a long minute, then laughed. "Man, you're hysterical, Dick! If I didn't know you were a practical joker, I'd have totally believed you." To his surprise, Dick remained serious. "Uh...Dick? Why aren't you laughing?"

"When I was eight, my parents were killed by mobsters. Bruce Wayne adopted me and allowed me to help find the man who did it...Batman let me help. Since then, I've been his partner and his son. When you disappeared, I got mad that nobody was looking for you. I used the computer in the batcave to figure out that your disappearance was part of a pattern," Dick said with a slight air of embarrassment. "Batman wouldn't let me investigate independently because he'd heard about Hamilton School and he thought it would be too dangerous. I...um...broke into G.C.P.D.'s evidence locker and stole enough meth to get me arrested for possession and arranged to get caught. "

Rufus' eyes were wide and disbelieving. "So you could get sentenced to Hamilton?"

"Yeah. Batman was _not_ happy at all, but he let me go. I didn't know it, but he followed me there and kept an eye on me. So when Lee wanted a new kid, Batman knew the minute I disappeared and came after me. That's why I got rescued when I did." Dick met his friend's gaze, blue eyes willing him to believe. "I set this up for you, Rufe. You did get a rescue; I just messed it up."

"Oh man," Rufus sighed. "So, Bruce Wayne didn't send Batman after you..."

"No, he came himself," Dick said sadly. "And it's all my fault. I totally messed this up. Then I got here and found out that what Lee really wanted was-Robin." He hunched over a little. "And Lee figured out that he'd actually caught Robin. That's why he wants me so bad; he's using Bruce to get me. I...I can't just leave the country. I can't leave him behind. I owe him too much. I have to get him out if I can."

Rufus just stared at his friend, all jealousy washed away, then it occurred to him that this could still be a scam. C'mon...how many times in your life do you find out your friend is Robin, the Boy Wonder? "Dick, you say you're Robin? I...prove it!"

Dick flashed him a grin, then did a handstand into a back-flip and easily hooked an arm around Rufus, pulling him to the floor. He pinned him easily with a hand applying a nerve pinch. Lightly. He didn't want to knock him out.

"Believe?" Robin asked.

"Yup," Rufus gasped. "Let me up?" Robin gave him a hand and pulled him up, back into his chair, just as Hana opened the door.

"Everything all right in here, boys?" she asked.

"Yeah, we're fine," Rufus said. Hana nodded and closed the door again. When they were sure she was gone, Rufus leaned forward. "Why are you telling me all this? Aren't you afraid I'll tell?"

"No," Dick said. "You're my friend and I'm a pretty good judge of character. And I need you to make this work."

"What do you mean?" Rufus asked. "I don't want to go back there."

"You would if you were turning me in, anyway," Dick said. "You know the palace better than I do; you lived there."

"Yeah, I know the place pretty well," Rufus admitted. "Lee liked to play hide and seek with his Robins. I learned that if I was really good at it, it would take him a while to find me and...you know...put things off longer. I never found a way out, though."

"Not going to be a problem, Rufe," Dick said. "But I need your knowledge of the palace. Lee said he was going to send you back as part of the deal. Do you have any reason to think he'd cheat you?"

"Aside from the fact that he's a bastard, no," Rufus said. "But it's true, he's tired of me. If he has you, he won't care where I go." He studied Dick's face intently. "You're not hoping he'll send Batman back to America like he promised, do you?"

"I'm not sure what I'm hoping," Dick said with a sigh. "All I know is, there are too many variables to plan it all out in detail, so we'll have to respond to what we find there. But if we can make contact with Batman, he'll know what to do. In the meantime, I need to know what you know about the palace."

Hana Kim was not easy to persuade. "I have people coming tonight to smuggle you out. You think I want to explain to Bruce Wayne how I let his son walk back into the tiger's mouth?" she exclaimed in frustration.

"You don't really have a choice," Dick said firmly. "You can't keep us here. I won't give away your operation or your identity. Trust me for that."

The boys waited tensely as Hana compressed her lips tightly, then threw up her hands. "You're crazy, that's all. On your head be it," she said and walked away.

"Dick, I feel pretty useless with this," Rufus gestured toward his missing leg. "But I worked out with Mr. Tan almost every day I was there. I got to be pretty good with a staff. I'm not very mobile but I could still help..."

Dick handed Rufus his crutch. "Show me."

To Dick's surprise, Rufus was fast with the crutch and managed to keep Dick at bay during multiple attacks. Finally, Dick held both hands up, panting. "You're not bad, Rufe. If you could..."

"Move. Yeah, I know," Rufus sighed, putting the crutch down. "I had to study that damned tape of you fighting and try to duplicate the moves so that Lee had an almost authentic Robin, not to mention sparring with Mr. Tan."

"We'll figure something out, Rufe, if you're still sure you want to be in on this," Dick said hesitantly. "I mean, you can still go back on the underground railroad..."

Rufus shook his head with a look of shame. "No. You came here for me and I was stupid to take it all out on you." He sighed. "I'm still jealous, you know. You still have something I don't. You've got a Dad who loves you, even if he does dress like a bat."


	20. A Little Bird Alone

CHAPTER 20

Rufus, escorted by Harrison, was allowed in the building. He followed as Harrison turned the now-struggling Dick Grayson over to two soldiers and a delighted-looking Generalissimo Lee.

"There, you see? We got the kid back for you, Mr. President," Hamilton said.

"You'll get a fine bonus for this," Lee said, watching the boy struggle in vain against the soldiers' grip. "And this is the young man who helped to catch him?" Lee glanced over at Rufus, who stood immobile while those predatory dark eyes swept over him.

Lee dismissed him with a glance. "By all means, take your young protégé back to America with you. I have no further need of his services or interest in him, now that I have my Robin back, "the Generalissimo ran a caressing hand through Dick's hair, making the boy struggle even harder.

Rufus gulped but realized he'd been dismissed. He followed the two men back to their guest quarters. He looked back over his shoulder as Robin was being dragged away by Lee's men. "So...uh...when do we leave?" he asked uneasily.

"In a few hours," Hamilton said, seating himself on a couch in the guest suite. "It looks like Mr. Pak has to gather some paperwork before he goes; apparently he has some urgent business with Bruce Wayne in Gotham City." He cracked a smile while Harrison snickered.

Harrison lit up a cigarette and offered one to Rufus, who took it. "So, how long ya think this kid, Grayson, will last?" he asked Hamilton.

"This one? Not too long," Hamilton shrugged, fiddling with the television remote. "He's been pretty sheltered; not like some of our more experienced kids," he nodded to Rufus.

Rufus could feel himself starting to shake, driven by a combination of memories he'd rather forget and fear for Dick. "Uh...where does a guy get a meal in this place? I'm hungry," he said.

"There's a staff dining room that has food going all day long," Hamilton said absently, dialing channels on the television set.

"I'll go find the dining room," Rufus said. "You guys want me to bring you anything?"

"Nah, we're fine," Harrison said, watching the t.v. "Don't be gone too long. If you're not back in two hours, we'll leave without you; and we aren't going to search for you."

"Understood," Rufus said, and left the room. Outside and around the corner, he stopped and tried to calm down. He hated this place, every inch of it, and now they were speculating about how long Dick could survive...No time for panic attacks. He had work to do.

He thought he remembered where the dining hall was. As it happened, he only got lost twice before he found it. There was plenty of cold food in a kind of buffet, along with plates and silverware. He stuffed his pockets with two knives and a couple of forks; Robin could use some sharp objects. Then he went back out into the hallway and concentrated.

Oh yeah, the 'Robin' quarters were down in the basement. How could he have forgotten? He made his way to the elevator and pressed the down arrow. In all this time he was passed by a variety of servants and soldiers and ignored by all of them. Given Lee's past history, it wasn't unusual for children to run loose in the palace.

When the door opened, Rufus walked confidently down the long hallway. Oh yeah, he remembered the Robin shrine. He walked through that room as fast as he could, still creeped out by it. The living quarters should be somewhere ahead...yes! That was it. Uh-oh...

Rufus ducked around a corner. Guards were going to Dick's room...

* * *

Batman watched his boy being dragged out of the room and finally mastered his rage. It settled into a cold, boiling mass somewhere in his gut. "If anything happens to him, I'll kill you. Slowly," he breathed.

Lee's smile never wavered. "It's well known that Batman doesn't kill. Not ever. I have the power over you now and am in...what is that quaint phrase from the American South? Oh yes, I am in the 'catbird seat' now." He chuckled. "My little bird and I." He moved toward the door. "You'll be flying out today," he said coldly. "If you're lucky and he is well-behaved with me, I may let my Robin say good-bye to you."

Batman remained entirely still, only his eyes watching Lee strut through the door. Beneath the blankets he continued working, working on the restraints.

Later, he thought it might be a few hours, the door opened again. Lee appeared with four guards, two with guns, the other two bearing chains and shackles.

"Your flight leaves soon, Batman," Lee said, smirking. "My men are here to help you dress. To relieve your fears, I want to show you my shrine celebrating your young partner Robin, so that you will know in just how much esteem I hold him. And, because I am a generous man, you'll be allowed to say goodbye to your son. Ah, I thought you'd like that," Lee said, noting Batman's start at the news. "Gentlemen, please assist..."

With one gunman holding a pistol to Batman's head and a second with a machine gun at three feet, Batman was released from the restraints. Lee noted how loose they were and looked momentarily shaken. "Well, I'd say it's time for your flight home, Batman. Mr. Tan, please help Batman into his clothing."

Tan opened the closet and removed Batman's costume, handing it to him watchfully. Batman dressed carefully. When he got to the utility belt, he felt the lightness of it; they'd emptied it. Damn. But maybe not all of it...He felt at the back for the small bulge at the seam. Not completely empty, then.

"And now the shackles," Lee began and Batman moved into action. He knocked the pistol out of the hand of the closest man and ducked the fire from the other gunman. He swung around towards the door and found himself facing Mr. Tan.

"Let me out," Batman growled. "Or you'll be picking your teeth out of your hair."

Mr. Tan grinned a wide smile instead. "At last, a worthy opponent," he said and launched a skilled attack.

The space was small, but Tan was an effective fighter, one of the best Batman had ever faced. Worse, Tan seemed to have studied Batman's style. He should have expected that with Lee's obsession. He stepped up his game, using tricks he'd learned long ago from the League of Assassins. Tan's smile only grew wider as he countered each blow, then, almost leisurely, he struck a calculated kick at Batman's bad leg. The pain was white-hot and his leg collapsed beneath him, leaving him helpless and stricken. Tan had been playing with him, analyzing his attack before going in for the kill.

Tan bent over him, chaining both legs and his hands behind him. "Thank you very much for the workout, Batman. You are very good and I learned a great deal from you." He gestured to the now-recovering gunmen, who lifted Batman up and dragged him out of the room while Generalissimo Lee gleefully followed. Tan disappeared down a hallway.

Batman mentally shook himself and paid careful attention as they took him through the palace hallways to an elevator. They stopped at the basement and continued down a dark hallway. They entered a black-painted room and Batman gasped at what he saw. Robin's picture plastered the walls. He'd been photographed at all ages and even those taken when Batman knew he'd been with the boy featured Robin only. Batman had been cut out. Lee stopped the little procession in front of the television screen that featured recurring loops of Robin fighting villains and rappelling down buildings.

"You see how proud I am of this boy?" Lee said proudly. "You have trained him so very well and he is so accomplished. When I actually saw him in action, I knew that I had to have. Alas, kidnapping proved to be impossible. Even those criminals of Gotham I hired to grab the boy proved unsuccessful. You always rescued the lad and assumed that the kidnappers grabbed him for their own reasons. I'd paid them well enough and frightened them well enough that they kept my involvement secret," Lee turned away from the motion picture to the horrified Batman who was still examining the room. "Until now, I've had to make do with the Robins I was able to get. But I promise you, I will take care of young Dick Grayson. I trust that Bruce Wayne will be cooperative, as will Batman."

"Your definition of care would get you twenty to life in a Gotham prison," Batman rasped. "He's not a possession; he's a boy, a boy who needs to go home."

Looking at the video and smiling, Lee said, "He is home. Home with me. Shall we have a look at him?" He hit a button on the screen and it shifted to an image of Dick Grayson being wrestled into a bedroom. The two guards left him there and shut the door behind them. Batman and Lee watched as the boy searched the room carefully. He opened the closet door and found a Robin uniform, then felt the fabric and his lip curled in a sneer. He shut the closet door and lay on the bed instead, clearly thinking."

"So, he doesn't like the uniform I've supplied him with," Lee shook his head. "The finest materials and manufacture available. Well, he'll learn to appreciate it or he'll wear nothing at all," Lee turned to look at Batman with an impish smile.

Batman's face remained cold and grim, although his hands, chained behind his back, had curled into fists. Seeing no apparent reaction, Lee gestured towards the opposite door. "Now, I will allow you to say your goodbyes."

* * *

The guards had taken Dick to his original bedroom in the palace, untied him and locked the door behind. He prowled the room, seeing that very little had changed since he was last incarcerated here. His thoughts kept veering to what Batman had saved him from last time. He wasn't eating any of Lee's food, unless Rufus brought it. No drink except for fresh water from a tap. He couldn't afford to let himself be drugged again. There wouldn't be a rescue this time. He hadn't asked Rufus for details about Lee, but he could guess a lot from old case files of Batman's he'd read on the computer in the batcave. This was dangerous and a lot depended on staying sharp.

Having examined the place and found no changes, he lay on the bed. There, he nursed his bruises and mentally berated himself for a stupid move. Sure, it had felt great to kick Generalissimo Lee, but all it had done was make the man angry and gotten Dick some loose teeth. But it had hurt, seeing Batman helpless in a hospital bed. Somehow, he'd expected the Bat to raise a towering attack on Lee, defeat all the man's soldiers and fly him and Rufus out of this stinking country.

He rolled over and sat up, cradling his aching jaw. Batman was injured. He couldn't tower over anybody right now and he needed a Robin who was thinking strategically, not a kid throwing temper tantrums. Okay. For starters, he knew the palace better than he had when he was locked in this place before. Rufus was outside somewhere, scoping out the place and tracing the wiring on the closed circuit security systems; at least he sure hoped he was. Dick hadn't let his friend see any doubts about the level of Rufus' loyalty, but still, Rufe had sold him and Batman out in the first place. He hoped he'd guessed right, that Rufus was really on their side and that his torment at Lee's hands hadn't changed him that much.

They'd left another Robin suit hanging in the closet, complete down to the boots. He wasn't going to change clothes until he was forced. Another feeling of pain: seeing the suit he was so proud to wear turned into...his lip curled...lingerie.

He looked up and found the camera trained on the room. That, at least, he could do something about. He went into the bathroom and returned with a bar of soap that he'd moistened slightly. He moved the chest of drawers closer to where the camera was mounted and climbed on top. Good. It was in reach. With a grin, he reached the bar of soap over to the lens and smeared it good.

Looking carefully, he found two other hidden cameras and smeared them too. Last, he took care of the camera in the shower with great satisfaction. He was contemplating his work when he heard a noise at the door. He was at the other end of the room and in a defensive posture when the door opened and two soldiers with guns appeared, flanking Mr. Tan.

"Batman will be flying out to Gotham City in a few minutes," Tan said. "You're to be taken to see him off. " He gestured towards the guardsmen, who moved in on Dick.

Dick backed up and was soon flying through the room, bashing a head here, punching an arm there. He soon had both guardsmen groaning on the floor. Mr. Tan stood in the open door, between Dick and freedom.

Dick and Tan eyed each other, sizing up the other as an opponent. Dick finally attacked and knew he'd made a mistake as soon as he rushed the other man. Tan stepped easily aside and calmly led Dick on a chase through the room without once allowing the boy to land a blow or to get through the door. Winded and frustrated, Dick stopped for breath and Tan pounced. He was faster than Dick had imagined anyone could be; faster even than Batman.

The boy parried the blows as best he could but could feel himself losing ground. Tan got past his guard and got him in the right arm, numbing it down to his fingers. He shifted position and tried leading with his left until he saw a tiny smile on Tan's face, then he was on the floor with Tan pinning him down. "I can do you great damage, young warrior," Tan said softly. "Or you can come with me quietly. Will you cooperate?"

Slowly, Dick nodded and creakily got to his feet. "You will dress appropriately, first," Tan said and nodded toward the closet. Dick's face set.

"I'm not wearing that fake suit," he said.

"President Lee has required it of you, therefore you will wear it," Tan said, voice dangerously low. "Or you will not see Batman before he leaves. You will not see him again for a very long time, I suspect. It is your decision."

Angry to his core, Dick hesitantly opened the cupboard, noting that Tan had taken up a position out of the boy's immediate reach. He slowly took the suit out and donned it, fumbling with the laces since his arm was still numb. The mask in place and fake utility belt fastened, the guards grabbed him by the arms and marched him down the hallway followed by Mr. Tan.

He was taken to the rooftop helipad where a large helicopter sat. Batman, his ankles in shackles and hands unseen, stood tall next to the shorter Generalissimo Lee. He looked up when he saw Robin approaching, held by the soldiers.

"Ah, we are all together now," Lee said. "Let the boy come forward and bid his mentor farewell."

The guards let him go and Robin ran over to Batman. It didn't escape either of them that there were multiple gunmen aiming at them both.

"Is it true? They're sending you back to Gotham?" Robin asked, voice trembling a little.

"They are," Batman said. "Lee has some errands for me." He gazed at the boy, his composure cracking, and struggled down onto one knee. "Dick, I won't be here for you. I...I'm sorry that I can't protect you..."

"It's not your fault," Dick said fiercely. "I'll be okay. It'll be okay..."

Batman was silent, head slightly bowed. "I never should have let you become involved in all this. I made a mistake but you're the one who will pay for it..."

"Batman..." Dick scrubbed at an eye.

"I'll be back for you," Batman said softly. "Never doubt that I'll get you out of here, if it's the last thing I do." He smiled crookedly. "Can I have a hug for the road?"

Dick gave an inarticulate cry and threw his arms around Batman's waist. They stood there silently for a long moment until Lee's unwelcome voice broke their silence.

"That's enough! Mr. Tan, you will escort Batman to Gotham, just to ensure that he arrives." Lee stood back while the guards helped Batman to his feet, then forced him over to the helicopter. Robin saw for the first time that Harrison and Hamilton were already aboard.

Batman was strapped into a seat between two guards, Mr. Tan sitting behind them. Harrison and Hamilton gave one final glance around the rooftop, then took off. Batman's face was turned towards the group on the ground, finding Robin's gaze and holding it.

Robin stood tall and watched his father leave and knew it was all up to him now. Under his cape he fingered the lock picks Batman had slipped him and tucked them into his utility belt.


	21. A Little Bird and a Snake

CHAPTER 21

Batman sat uncomfortably in the center of three seats at the back of the helicopter. He knew that they'd have to land soon; they'd need to transfer to a jet if they were to travel to the United States. Maybe he could break away when they landed at whatever airport housed the jet.

Mr...uh...Batman, said Mr. Pak, riffling the folder he carried. "You do understand that any action you take against President Lee will have negative repercussions for your son." He set the folder down on the helicopter's floor. "I understand your restlessness but you can do nothing about the situation except obey the Beloved Leader's orders."

Batman's glare took on extra heat as he eyed Pak with distaste. "You, of all people, know why I have to fight Lee with all my strength. You were in Gotham five years ago. You saw those kidnapped girls and you know what Lee had planned for them! How can you follow such a monster?"

"I have my reasons," Pak said shortly. "Just take some advice from a Rheelasian. Torture is a way of life for our Beloved Leader. If you step out of line, your boy will die, slowly and horribly, even if the Generalissimo is obsessed with Robin. He loves power more."

Batman sank back into his seat, the roiling in his gut turning more acidic by the minute. He knew Lee's history only too well. Amnesty Inc. had listed Generalissimo Lee and his government as one of the most repressive offenders against human rights on the planet. And he'd left Robin there, in Lee's hands. Damn the boy! He didn't believe for a moment that Robin had been captured. Dick was smarter than that; he'd come in to save Batman's life in response to the leaflets. "When are these chains coming off?" he asked in what he hoped was a level tone. "You can't expect me to follow Lee's orders while cuffed and manacled."

"When we reach American airspace you will be released and allowed to dress in civilian clothing," Mr. Tan replied. He reached into a pocket and removed an injection kit. "And to make sure that you arrive there safely, I have insurance. Nothing harmful, just a good sleep." He uncapped the needle and stabbed it into Batman's body just as he began to struggle. The last thing Bruce heard was Tan's voice. "You will arrive home in Gotham soon enough." And all was darkness.

He woke up hours later. His arms and legs had been unshackled and he lay across a row of airplane seats. Of Harrison and Hamilton there was no sign. "Wake up, Mr. Wayne," said Mr. Tan. "It's time for you to dress. Mr. Pak and I will be staying at the Rheelasian Consulate and will meet with you at your offices at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow to put the plans into effect. We've already called Wayne Manor and arranged for your limousine to meet us."

Bruce sat up and rubbed his wrists absently. "What am I supposed to wear?" he asked. "Where is Mr. Pak?"

"We have clothing for you. It should fit well enough," Mr. Tan said."Mr. Pak is piloting the jet. We land in ten minutes."

Bruce struggled into sweat pants and a t-shirt provided by his captors. Mr. Pak had placed the Batman uniform in a suitcase and carried it himself. Tan went first down the stairway with Bruce in the middle and Pak following. Bruce looked over their heads and saw Alfred waiting by the limo.

"A pleasant flight, Master Bruce?" the butler asked smoothly, opening the passenger door. "And who are your companions, if I might ask?"

The smile Bruce gave Alfred was more grimace than anything else. "Mr. Pak," he gestured left. "And Mr. Tran," he motioned to his right. "come to us on loan from the President of Rheelasia to help implement some financial arrangements I have made with President Lee."

"Ah, I see," Alfred held the door as the men got into the car, Bruce seated in the center of the back seat with a man on each side. Placing himself in the driver's seat, the butler started the car. "And Master Dick? How is he?" Alfred asked, looking in the mirror at his master. Bruce's jaw clenched so tightly that Alfred's teeth hurt in sympathy.

"We'll discuss that later, Alfred," Bruce finally said, not meeting Alfred's eyes. "In the meantime, I think we'd like our privacy."

Alfred's eyebrows rose. "Ah, I see, sir. A moment, then." A clear glass partition between the driver's seat and the back slowly rose and clicked into place. A minute later, the three men heard a hissing noise as a gas filtered into the back seat area. Both strangers began to struggle but were soon rendered unconscious. Bruce, as soon as the partition came down, had dug his hand between the seat cushions and found nose filters which he quickly donned.

Alfred pulled the limo to a stop and opened the doors. They both quickly bound both men and put them back into the limo. Bruce climbed into the front seat and settled in with a long sigh. "Take us to the Batcave," he said.

"And Master Dick?" The old man asked with concern.

"He's still in Rheelasia. I had him, Alfred. When I got there..." Bruce swallowed and rubbed his eyes. "Lee had him drugged and on a bed, but I was in time...just. I got Robin out of there. They blew up the Batwing but we took cover in a burned out house. They took me but Robin got away." Bruce looked bleakly out the window.

"And?" Alfred prompted.

"And they got me. I had a leg injury and I was a prisoner, but that was okay because Dick was free. Until Dick's _friend_ Rufus turned him in for the reward...Lee's holding him for ransom. I'm to transfer most of my stock in Wayne Enterprises and WayneTech over to him and use both Batman's influence and Bruce Wayne's to support Rheelasia's application for membership in the U.N. Until I've done those things, Dick is there, with _him_. Unprotected." Bruce turned to Alfred, face lined with agony. "Alfred, I'd rather leave Dick in the Joker's custody than with Singh Manh Lee! Joker only kills, Lee...despoils."

"Oh dear," Alfred said softly. "What can we do?" He glanced in the mirror at the sleeping men in the back seat.

"I don't know," Bruce said. "But we don't have much time."

"Surely, the League..."

"Superman refused to help me the first time I asked him. He's afraid of the political repercussions. But I think I know someone who will..." Bruce picked up the handset in the car and dialed a number.

"Ollie? Yeah, it's Bruce. I need you to help me with something. It's urgent and completely outside the League's purview, you okay with that? Yes, they can't know and it'll get us expelled if they find out. Robin's being held hostage by Singh Manh Lee at his compound in Rheelasia. Yes..._that _pervert...Good. Meet me at Wayne Manor and I'll explain everything. No, leave Speedy at home; it's too dangerous for someone his age. Okay, I'll see you in a few hours. Thanks." He put the phone down and dialed a second number.

"Barry? It's Bruce Wayne...yes, that Bruce Wayne. Listen, I've got a dangerous job that can't come to the attention of the League, you willing to help out? Robin's being held by Sing Manh Lee at his compound in Rheelasia, I need help to get him out...you've heard of him too, that's why we have to move fast...No...No, I agree, don't bring Wally. You know why he can't be in on this. It's much too dangerous...I'll see you at the Manor. Thanks." He put the phone in its cradle thoughtfully. "What the League really needs is a 'dirty tricks' squad, one that can operate under the radar without overt ties to the League itself. Outsiders. I'll have to think about putting together some kind of team after this is over."

* * *

Rufus watched the vignette on the rooftop from the shadows of the doorway. He could feel his stomach twist when Batman and Robin hugged for such a long time. His father had never touched him, unless it was to slap him. He thought it might be because he looked so much like his runaway mother, now living in Monte Carlo with her third boyfriend. He'd never had a family, as such, and had long envied Dick's possession of two doting adults who lived only to care for his every need. Every day after school, the old butler had come to the school in a limousine and each and every day had asked 'Master Dick' how his day had gone. If it were a bad day, the butler always told him in an affectionate tone that tomorrow would be better and offered hot cocoa and fresh cookies when the boy got home.

When Rufus got home, it was to a cold and empty house. The maid had usually left by then, his step-mother was out shopping and his Dad was at work. He'd make his own snack and hide in his room with his gaming system. His Dad gave him anything he wanted, as long as Rufus didn't bother him.

He watched Batman get into the helicopter and bit down the impulse to run after him. He could still go, get far away from here and back to the United States. But if he did, he'd betray Dick a second time; he couldn't do that, especially now that Dick had trusted him with his secret. And what a secret! Every kid in school wanted to be Robin. He smiled a little. Robin was his friend. Robin had come after him in the face of Batman's disapproval, even. He owed him.

The helicopter took off and Robin stood alone, his cape flapping in the wash off the rotors. Dick must feel awful, Rufus thought, but he wasn't all alone. Dick still had a friend and this time, Rufus wasn't going to let him down.

* * *

Robin stood alone, watching the helicopter take Batman miles away and felt his insides go hollow. Batman was coming back. He'd said he would, therefore he'd be back for him, he reminded himself in a kind of mantra.

Lee broke the moment. "Well," he said, clapping his hands together. "I think it's time for dinner." A beefy hand came down hard on Robin's shoulder. "Let's see what the cook has prepared for us tonight, shall we?"

Robin just looked up at him, not trying to disguise the hatred in his eyes. Lee ignored it and propelled the Boy Wonder down the stairs and into the formal dining room. Robin was seated in the same place he'd occupied at the other, ill-omened dinner. This time he didn't dare eat or drink anything, so he sat immobile, watching Lee serve himself generously from the platter brought by the waiter. He wouldn't let the man see how afraid he was.

"You're not eating," Lee said, his mouth full. "I can't have you starving yourself, now can I? Batman would accuse me of not taking good care of you! Eat!"

"I'm not hungry," Robin said firmly, his gloved hands in his lap. He'd fasted before, training with Batman. He could do it now. He glanced back at the doorway, blocked by two beefy-looking guards with machine guns and considered fighting his way out.

"I see," Lee said, sipping his wine. "Well, I see no reason for you to ruin my meal." He nodded toward the guards, who came forward immediately. "Take Robin to my bedroom. After I've dined, he and I are going to become much better acquainted."

Robin exploded into action, jamming an elbow into the face of the first soldier and a knee into the abdomen of the second, winding him. The boy leapt up onto the table and grabbed the chandelier overhead, pushing himself into a broad swing that took him closer to the door. He landed on the floor well past the guards and pulled the door open and found two more soldiers, pointing guns at him. Hands raised, he backed slowly away to the sound of applause.

Lee, still seated at the table eating, was clapping. "Bravo, boy! An excellent demonstration of skill. I look forward to seeing much more of your talent and Batman's training. But, for the moment, Guards escort him out and secure him for me..." He waved a leisurely hand and Robin was taken down the hall by the four soldiers.

When he saw the door to Lee's bedroom, he tried again. Spinning, he kicked one in the knee and got another with a well-placed punch. The third had martial arts training but wasn't very good; Robin put him down in three moves. He didn't notice that the forth was now behind him with a rifle in his hands.

The forth guard clubbed him in the head with the butt of the rifle and the boy went down like a stone. Stunned, he was dragged by the two guards who could still move, into the President's suite and dumped onto Lee's huge bed. The first soldier grinned and said something to the second, then pulled a set of hand cuffs from his belt. He fastened a dazed Robin to the wrought iron bedpost by his right wrist. They left, chuckling and joking among themselves.

Robin never knew how long he was out but when he woke he was still alone. He scrambled upright and tried to run for the door, but found out the hard way that he'd been cuffed when he was pulled back abruptly. Panting in near panic, he fished the lock picks out of his belt and began to work on the cuffs. Steady...steady...and open! He raced to the door and of course he was locked in. The picks were ready. Calmer now, he worked on the door lock. He didn't understand it, but Lee gave him a feeling of horror that no other villain ever had, not even the Joker. Somehow, just being in the man's presence was enough to rattle him. Maybe it was the greedy way the Generalissimo looked at him that did it; he felt like a bird facing a snake. He had to get out of here.

With relief, he heard the lock click open and hauled the heavy door open. And walked right into Generalissimo Lee with his ever-present bodyguards.

Lee reached out and grabbed both of Robin's shoulders before he could get away, the man's eyes staring at the boy with glittering intent. Robin was transfixed by those eyes and he froze. Walking the boy backward into the room, Lee said to his guards in a gentle tone, _"Who was it that forgot to lock the door? Chung-Hee?"_

A guard answered in Rheelasian and bowed. Lee rattled off a series of commands in Rheelasian. _"Whoever it was, make sure he is disciplined! I've gone through too much trouble to get and keep this boy to lose him through someone's carelessness. Now, lock the door and leave us alone. The boy and I are going to become better friends."_

The guard bowed again and, taking the other guard with him, left the room and locked the door behind them. Lee gripped Robin's shoulders more firmly and slowly backed him towards the bed. Holding a shoulder with a vice-like grip, he undid the fastener that held his cape. "You'll be much more comfortable without this," he said, taking the yellow silk garment and tossing it onto the floor. Robin's eyes followed it down, then looked quickly up again. He felt frozen with a kind of panic even though the back of his mind was screaming at him to do something! Anything! Yes, just like a bird with a snake, he thought, transfixed by Lee's knowing gaze.

A younger Dick Grayson had frozen like that when he saw his parents fall to their deaths; helpless to do anything but watch. Helpless...He...He...He wasn't helpless. He was Robin, dammit! Robin fought...he wasn't paralyzed with terror...He'd been pushed back onto the bed, lying on his back. What was Lee doing? Oh crap...he's unzipping his pants...Bending over him...This isn't happening...This isn't happening...


	22. An Unexpected Ally

CHAPTER 22

In the Batcave, the Rheelasians were put into small cells and left to sleep off the gas.

Batman returned to the main level, sat in front of the computer screen and worried. He itched to get back to Rheelasia but knew he'd need a team this time. His leg just wasn't good enough to handle battle, even though Alfred had seen to the injury and given him a brace. To distract himself, he updated his case notes and made printed summaries for Green Arrow and the Flash, but that was done too quickly. He was glowering at his computer file on Lee when, predictably, the Flash arrived first with Kid Flash in tow.

"I'msorryBatmanbutthekidjustwou ldn'tstayhome!" Flash stuttered out.

"RobinismybestfriendandIamNOT stayinghomeonthisone," Kid Flash insisted.

Batman swung around in his chair and gave each of them his patented glare, ramped up several notches because of his abiding worry about Dick. "I don't care what you want," he said directly to Wally. "This mission was too dangerous for Robin in the first place and is definitely too dangerous for you! You're not going!"

Wally, never before the object of a truly angry Batman, cringed, while Barry rushed to his defense. "So just what is this all about, Bruce? Wally's been in plenty of tough spots before and…" Batman shoved the printed file into Barry's hands.

"Read it," he said and stood, a silent figure wrapped in black.

Barry read slowly, reading a page and setting it down on the table, his face becoming grimmer and grimmer with each paragraph. When he finished, his face had gone cold. "You should call Superman in on this," he said softly. "And the rest of the League would love to put this guy away."

"I did," Batman replied, weariness in every line of his body. "Superman refused. He's worried about the League's involvement while Rheelasia's bid for U.N. membership is up for discussion. You and Ollie are the only ones I trust not to alert the League. Clark would feel honor bound to try and stop me."

Wally, who had been quietly reading the pages as his uncle put them down, interrupted. "We've gotta go. We've gotta go NOW!"

The Flash turned to his nephew. "There is no WE on this mission. Batman's right. What this….this monster….does to kids is horrendous. You're staying behind, Wally."

"No way," Wally insisted. "Robin's my best friend; I've got a right to go and help. Besides, this Lee guy has an army and it'll take Batman and Green Arrow hours to fly there. We can all get there faster if we each carry one person."

Batman turned to the Flash. "Could he do it? Carry one of us?"

The Flash looked at his nephew speculatively. "I don't know," he said. "He's been working out but he hasn't actually carried a passenger that far."

"I've been practicing," Wally said heatedly. "I'm stronger than I look and when I run, I'm even stronger. I can help! You need to get there fast and the longer we argue, the more likely something bad is gonna happen to Rob…"

"He has a point," Batman said, rubbing his chin.

"Well, I'm not sure I want to be the one he drops somewhere over the ocean," Green Arrow came striding in from the elevator. "So, how about some help?" He gestured towards the tall man in the red cape that followed him.

Batman looked ready to kill. "You brought Superman? I told you not to get the League involved!"

Superman had the grace to look embarrassed. "Bruce, look, I know I told you I couldn't help you when you asked before and I really regret that. Dick is practically my nephew and I shouldn't have put the League ahead of his welfare. When Ollie got the call at the Watchtower, I...um...overheard. I couldn't stay behind."

"So now you want to help?" Batman folded his arms across his chest to keep him from clouting that six foot Kansas idiot in the jaw. "Do you know how I found Robin? Do you?" He strode over to Superman and met him eye to eye. "He was in the Presidential bedroom suite about to be raped by Singh Manh Lee!"

At Superman's recoil, he eased up. "I got there in time, thank God. But the long and short of it is that they captured us both. Lee still has Dick in his hands. I am instructed to force the League to support Rheelasia's U.N. membership, both as Batman and as Bruce Wayne and to transfer most of my stock in WayneTech and W.E. over to him. He's holding Dick now and if I don't comply, if he senses a lack of cooperation from me..." Batman's voice trailed off, his jaw working. "We have to get there. Fast. Transportation is what we need. Directly into Rheelasia and to hell with the League's U.N. sanction!"

"Would a zeta tube do?" Superman said with a sigh.

"We don't have a platform in Rheelasia, do we?" asked the Flash. "I mean, we don't have any relationship with that country."

"No, we don't. Officially," Superman said. "A few of us have been supporting a revolutionary group there in secret. Our people get in and out via a beam in the capitol city."

"My...we do have our secrets too, don't we Kal?" Ollie said with raised eyebrows and a grin. "You're the last person I would have pegged as a revolutionary."

"The U.S. government has been funding them in secret and asked the League's assistance," Superman admitted grudgingly. "I'm the only League member in on it."

"How could you do this behind our ...? We'll discuss this later, Clark," Bruce said swiftly. "For now, we need to go!"

* * *

This isn't happening...This isn't happening...Gotta do something...Gotta _move!_ Robin closed his eyes to shut out the glittering eyes boring into his and brought up his right knee HARD. He got Lee full in the groin and heard the man's groan. Robin rolled over and off the bed while Lee went down, curled into himself.

The boy ran to the door and brought out the lock picks again. Hands shaking badly, he fitted them into the lock and struggled to get it open. Dropped one...Gotta hurry before he calls for help. Pick it up and try again...Use _both _hands, idiot! Batman would really get mad at how long this is taking...not up to Bat-standard at all. He looked over his shoulder and Lee hadn't moved. Maybe he'd done him some damage. Oh, he hoped so ...the door opened. The guards had left; the hallway was empty.

Robin shot through the door and down the hall. Where now? He was at a crossroads, looked left and right. Rufus? Where are you? Damn, I need that hiding place.

"Robin? Are you okay?" Rufus came through a side door. "I hid when the guards came by with you. Are you all right? You're white as a sheet and what happened to your cape?"

Robin shuddered, then mastered himself. "I'm okay," he said. "Did you find a way out?"

"Too many people right now, but I have a hiding place. Come on," Rufus said.

Robin followed Rufus up the back stairs. They went slowly, hiding fast when servants appeared. At one point, two servants rounded a hallway corner. There were no rooms or doorways to hide in, so Robin clambered up the wall, using a framed portrait of the Generalissimo and the molding to reach the ceiling. Once there, he suspended himself from the narrow ceiling by his pressing his hands and feet against the walls. It was all Rufus could do to keep a straight face and avoid gawping. The servants passed, intent on their own business and Robin dropped down.

"Man! If I ever doubted you were Robin, you've sure convinced me now!" Rufus said in a hoarse whisper. "Okay, next flight up is the attics. They don't use 'em here because the place is so big." He led Robin to a locked door at the end of the hallway. While Rufus stood guard, Robin used his lock picks and got the door open in no time. The two climbed up the flight of steps to the attic level. It was dusty and cobwebby enough to convince Dick that the area truly hadn't been used in a very long time. 'Here," Rufus said, showing Dick an overhead hatch. He opened it and a ladder telescoped down. Both boys scrambled up to a series of small rooms.

"Is this it?" Dick asked, looking around the empty spaces.

Rufus grinned. "No. This is." He went over to what looked like an exterior wall and kicked it. The wood let out a hollow booming noise and a small panel came off. Rufus set it on the floor. "Go ahead on in. I put a flashlight on the floor."

Robin went into a passageway that was three feet wide and traveled the length of the wall, about ten feet. He looked up and saw the rafters overhead. "Wow," he said softly. "This is a great hiding place. Thanks, Rufe!"

"I'll go downstairs and get some dinner for us," Rufus said. "I snagged a couple blankets from a linen closet. Go ahead and make yourself comfortable."

Robin made a pad for himself and sat down, then watched Rufe close the panel behind him. When the footsteps receded, he took off his mask and let himself start to shake.


	23. Batman Acts

CHAPTER 23

Lee, curled over himself on the bed, finally caught his breath and inched over to the side table. His anger built to an inferno. He had forgiven Robin's past disobedience, but this was too much. The boy would have to be punished, brought in line and forced to obey. He hit an emergency button which soon drew dozens of guards to his room.

"Sir! What has happened?" The first guard arrived and tried to help him sit up.

"Call my doctor. I want to find out whether the brat has disabled me for life!" Lee gasped between clenched teeth. "And find the boy. Search the palace and the city! Recapture him alive and bring him to me as soon as you do! He will be punished for this!" Lee's round face was set with rage. His plans, his hold on Batman/Bruce Wayne depended on having that kid as hostage. He had to get him back.

* * *

Rufus set off for the staff dining room but saw the soldiers, dozens of them, fanning out and searching every room. He quickly scuttled back to their hiding place. When he got back to the attics, Dick was sitting on the blanket, knees to chin.

"What happened?" He asked somberly.

"Guards everywhere. I think they're looking for you," Rufus said breathlessly. "You think we'll be safe here?"

Robin picked up the flashlight and opened the panel a bit. He shone the beam along the floor, his lips tightening when he found what he was looking for. "There are scuff marks in the dust, showing that there has been foot traffic here recently. There isn't a trail to this panel, though. Just scuff marks."

"Anything we can do...? Wait..." Rufus whispered and Robin drew back, closing the panel. He'd heard it too. Robin turned off the flashlight and both boys huddled in the darkness as the soldiers climbed the stairs to the room.

The boys hid in silence as the noises grew louder. Soon they could hear individual footsteps. Robin guessed that there were at least four men searching the room. Soon the voices began to speak in Rheelasian. Rufus understood the conversation, expressions of concern and then resignation crossing his face.

_"Dirty up here, isn't it?"_

_"The maids have been skimping again. Nothing in this room."_ A door slammed. _"What do you think the Beloved Leader will do when we catch this one?"_

_"Heh. Worse than taking off a leg, I'd guess. Kid got him in the nuts, but good! Insulted his manhood, such as it is. Our Beloved President knows that the kid humiliated him."_

_"Flimsy walls here."_ They heard a loud thump on the wall next to them. _"You don't think there are any secret panels or anything?"_

_"Up here? Nah. If there are panels, they're in the Beloved Leader's bedroom to help his little captives hide from him!" _Raucous laughter.

Soon the sounds faded and both boys breathed more easily. Shifting position, Robin nudged Rufus. "What did they say?"

"Nothing important," Rufus answered.

"From the look on your face, it was something. What was it?" Robin asked doggedly.

"Just that your punishment if they catch you will be worse than what happened to me," Rufus replied. "We've gotta get you out of here."

"Yeah," Robin said after thinking for a moment. "Rufe, we gotta split up. It's too dangerous for you to be associated with me. Go to Ms. Kim and get out of the country."

'I'm not going to abandon you," Rufus whispered back. "I already betrayed you once, I can't do that again."

"Rufe, one of the things Batman insists on is that we protect non-combatants. I can't protect you and you're in danger if you're found with me; it's safer for you if we split up." Robin got up and removed the panel hiding the room. "You wait here for an hour or two, then go."

"Robin, no!" Rufus hissed as Robin went out the door. Robin just smiled and waved, then was gone.

As he crept down the stairs, Robin hoped he wasn't making a bad decision, but Batman had always insisted that the lives of others must come first. Nobody knew that Rufus was helping him and he planned to keep it that way. Hopefully, Rufe would be able to escape the palace and make it to Hana Kim's. In the meantime, Robin would be leading them in the opposite direction. Rufe had drawn a crude map of the palace and the exits. If he could get to the rooftop helipad, there was a two story outbuilding he could probably climb down to and make a run for it. He'd leave enough evidence behind that the guards would be sure to follow. It was too bad that he was in this fake Robin uniform; for the first time the bright colors bothered him. He felt like he glowed. He'd try to find new clothing if he could. Let's see...down this hallway and yes, there were the stairs, guarded by two guys with guns. He mentally assessed his weaponry. The suit was unpadded and not kevlar but he was fast and he could hit hard. He grinned. It was about time he got some payback.

Robin made a running start and got the first guard with a kick to the head, then brought the second down with a punch to the jaw before he could aim, much less fire, his weapon. He cuffed them both with their own handcuffs, then lightly stepped over them to climb the stairs. The locked door at the top was a breeze and then he was on the roof. It was very early morning, the sky was just beginning to turn gray. For the first time in days, he felt like he was in control of his fate. He saw a big, dark shadow on the rooftop. The helicopter was there. If it were fueled up...He ran to the cockpit and checked the fuel gauge and almost shouted with joy; the 'bird' was ready to fly, almost immediately. He had to go get Rufus; they could both get out. He looked at the 'copter longingly and made his way back down the stairs.

* * *

Batman and the team finished packing for the trip. Wally had been put in charge of loading the packs with sleepy-gas bombs. He worked silently but swiftly, as only a speedster could, doing his best to radiate calm and maturity. He just had to go on this mission; Rob needed him, he knew it. From Batman's case notes, he knew that his buddy was having a bad time of it and he was determined to be there to support him. He finished the last pack and looked up to find Batman watching him appraisingly. Wally stood up and raised his hands. "Batman, he's my friend. I can't just leave him. That should count for something."

Batman and the Flash exchanged glances. Flash nodded. "Okay, Wallace, you can come along on the mission provided that you obey all orders given you. No arguments if we send you to safety. Agreed?" Batman said.

Wally just nodded his head vigorously, knowing that if he said anything it would come out wrong. He had compiled an extra pack, just in case, so he shouldered it and followed the other heroes to the Batcave's zeta platform.

Superman led the way, followed by Batman, Green Arrow, the Flash and Wally last. The beam left them in a dark warehouse that smelled of tea. "This is the gathering place of the revolutionary movement." He gestured towards the door. "The Presidential Palace is two blocks that way."

Batman gave him a wolfish grin. "Good. As we discussed, gentlemen. Green Arrow and the Flashes, you take care of the guards while Superman and I go after Robin."

"Where are you gonna look?" Kid Flash asked. "I mean, you don't know where they're holding him in the palace, do you?"

"I know where he was when I found him the last time. That's where I'll go first," Batman replied coldly.

"But that was Lee's bedr...Oh," Wally gulped down the rest of what he was planning to say.

"As I said before, once we get Robin, Superman, you're to fly him to safety. The rest of us will deal with Lee and his forces, then rendezvous back here for transport. Everyone clear?" Batman ran an eye over the grim faces of his allies. "Good. Let's go."

They made a stealthy approach to the palace, to avoid giving Lee any warning that might impact on Robin. At the gates, the Flashes and Green Arrow melted into the underbrush while Superman burned out the alarms on the gates and let them in. Two different patrols met them on the way in and Batman took care of them personally, seeming to derive much personal satisfaction from beating them into unconsciousness. After the second set had been subdued, Superman pulled him to one side.

"That's awfully rough, Batman, even for you," he said.

"No more than they deserve," Batman said, eyes burning. "Come on, Lee's bedroom is this way."

Superman grabbed him again, forcing Batman to stop. "Maybe I should be the one to go in first, Bruce," he said softly. "It's been a full twenty four hours since you left Dick here. We don't know..."

Batman shook his arm from Superman's grip. "He's my son, Clark. I had to leave him here, but I promised I'd come back for him. I am going to be the one who rescues him...no matter what!"

Superman gave him a doubtful look but followed along silently. The two followed the hallway to a newly replaced set of carved double doors. Supermen frowned darkly and focused his eyes on the door locks, turning them to a puddle of molten metal on the floor. Batman kicked the right hand door open and stormed inside. The room was as opulent as it had been before but there was no immediate sign of Robin. Instead Lee, dressed in red satin pajamas, lay sitting up on the bedcover, an ice pack held on his groin. He cringed when Batman ran over to him and grabbed him by the throat. "Where is he, Lee?"

Superman's sharp eyes caught a flash of yellow on the floor, half hidden by the bed spread. He pulled it out and held up Robin's cape. "Batman..." he said tightly.

Batman glanced over, saw the cape dangling from Superman's hand and something snapped. He held Lee overhead, the man's feet dangling helplessly above the bed.

"What have you done! What have you done to him?' Batman demanded, choking with rage. He slapped Lee with the other hand. "Where is he?"

Lee's fearful expression changed to one of crafty slyness. "We've been making friends, he and I" he spat out a tooth. "He's mine." Lee's eyebrows raised and he smirked. "You don't get him back unless you keep your end of the deal. You can threaten me, Batman, all you like but I have all the power here!"

Batman gave a howl of rage and started pounding Lee until Superman was afraid he'd kill the man. "Batman. Batman!" Superman grabbed Batman's fist and held it in place. Batman turned to him, enraged and breathing hard.

"Robin isn't in this room," Superman said coaxingly. "Let's go look for him. Lee isn't going to tell you anything."

Batman growled and tossed the bloody Lee onto the bed. Lee sat up, face covered in blood but managed a smile. "Just ask yourself what happened to your little bird while you were gone, Batman..." Lee said spitefully.

Batman was about to lunge at Lee again when Superman grabbed him. "You don't even know if he's telling the truth," he said. "See that ice pack? Well, he's got one hell of a bruise underneath it, if you catch my drift. Robin probably kneed him in the groin and ran."

Batman stared at Lee and put a close rein on his emotions, locking them down tight. Clark was right. Emotions...were messy things and impeded clear thought. "You're right," he said finally, eyeing the much-battered dictator. "Let's go find Robin," he said and stalked out the door.


	24. A Little Bird Caged

CHAPTER 24

Author's note: My thanks to Glimare who pointed out that travel time from Rheelasia to Gotham is 14 hours or so, meaning that I need to fill in about 16 hours of action for Robin and Rufus before Batman and the team arrive . To rectify the mistake, I have adjusted timing accordingly. Consequently, the story is longer :) And many thanks to the members of the Bludhaven List who have awarded this story a Damn Fine Award for Best Villain of 2012! And me, Newcomer of the Year and Writer of the Year for 2012!

* * *

TEN HOURS BEFORE

After Robin left, Rufus felt bereft. His only friend had just left him. He understood and agreed with the reason, he supposed, but he'd been alone in this blasted country for so long that it still hurt. He picked up his crutch. Just the same, he wanted nothing more than to get the hell out and now he was free to do just that.

He moved the panel and stood up, then crutched his way to the stairs. He got down the one level and was moving swiftly for the next staircase when he ran into a Rheelasian patrol.

_"Hey! That looks like the kid!"_ shouted a soldier holding a photograph of Dick Grayson._ "Get him!" _ He lifted his radio to his lips and made a call.

Rufus tried to run but just couldn't move fast enough with the crutch. He was quickly surrounded. Propping himself against the wall, he used the crutch to defend himself. He thrust the tip of the crutch into the beer gut of one soldier, then hit another over the head, swinging it back to catch another in the neck. He grinned with pleasure watching the men go down. All that work with Mr. Tan had been worth something after all. The first guy had caught his breath and was getting up, so Rufus focused on him when a red and yellow blur joined the fray.

"Robin?" Rufus gasped as the other boy threw a roundhouse punch at the one who'd just gotten up.

"Yeah," panted Robin, grinning back. "I found a heli..."He threw a kick at one and a punch at another soldier, he and Rufus now fighting back to back."...copter...we can fly right out of here! As soon as we...take" *Wham!* "the"...*Kick!* "Watch out!" *Elbow to the face* "Garbage out..."

Laughing, both boys soon stood in the middle of a circle of five unconscious guards. "It's on the roof," Robin said. "Come on!" They both stilled at the sound of movement at the end of the hallway, far from the main stairs. A wall panel opened and a shadow came from a dark hole in the wall.

The Generalissimo was supported by two soldiers and four more flanked him. All were armed, but the Generalissimo's was aimed at the "R" on Robin's chest. "They told me they'd caught you, but it looks like we bagged two Robins," Lee spat out, then dabbed at his lips with a handkerchief. "I should have known you had inside help, boy." He waved to the soldiers flanking him. Robin made as if to defend himself when he noticed that Rufus was held with a gun to his head.

"What shall we do with them?" asked the one holding the gun to Rufus' head.

"Take the lame one to the robin quarters and lock him in. I'll decide what to do with him when I have leisure. The other one..." Lee stared at Robin, eyes sparkling with rage. "My summerhouse," Lee said. "He clearly needs to be trained to accept his circumstances. You belong to me, boy, just like my horses, my hounds and my art collection. I am not a violent man and I will not compel your good behavior. You must learn to accept that you live at my will. Every bite of food you take, every swallow of water you have are given at your obedience to me. Food, blankets, water are all privileges to be earned. Fight me, and you will starve and freeze, boy."

Robin's eyes blazed back at this man. He was as psycho as the Joker. No, worse, this guy had an entire country. "Batman will..."

"Batman will do _nothing_," Lee said. "He has been hamstrung by his concern about you." Lee laughed. "And his eternal worry that someone will discover his secret identity. Never imagine that you are more important to him than his so-called mission." His eyes sharpened. "Search him first."

A quick search found the lock picks tucked into Robin's utility belt. Lee took them with something akin to glee in his eyes. "So that's how that door kept unlocking itself. No more of that, or the punishment will be harsher, even if it scars that lovely skin of yours." He waved at the guards. "Remain on guard and expect tricks from this one. I'll come to visit when he's had enough time to rethink his position."

The trip was a quick one, so this 'summer house' wasn't that far outside the city. Robin, sitting in the center back seat of the truck, stared around the soldiers who sat on either side of him. Summer house? It was a castle and about as big as one. They drove through a gate into a courtyard. He heard the crash of the gates closing behind him as the soldiers dragged him down a steep flight of stone steps. He knew that Rheelasia was an ancient country but he'd had no idea that anything like this was still around. His nose scented the twin odors of mildew and stone. Finally, he was taken to a room and pushed inside. The door was solid wood with a grille on top. A barred window up high let in a little sunshine. He could see that there was no furniture and the stone floor was swept clean. There was no toilet, no water, not even a bench to sit on. He had a vague, irrational feeling of homesickness for the isolation building back at the Hamilton School.

"Hey! You aren't going to just leave me here, are you?" Robin shouted. "I'm thirsty and I haven't eaten since yesterday! How about some water?"

The guard outside the door shouted back in passable English, "None for you until the Beloved Leader says so!" Then he fell silent and all Robin's shouting and pounding on the door was fruitless.

* * *

REAL TIME

Batman growled and tossed the bloody Lee onto the bed. Lee sat up, face covered in blood but managed a smile. "Just ask yourself what happened to your little bird while you were gone, Batman..." Lee said spitefully.

Batman was about to lunge at Lee again when Superman grabbed him. "You don't even know if he's telling the truth," he said. "See that ice pack? Well, he's got one hell of a bruise underneath it, if you catch my drift. Robin probably kneed him in the groin and ran."

Batman stared at Lee and put a close rein on his emotions, locking them down tight. Clark was right. Emotions...were messy things and impeded clear thought. "You're right," he said finally, eyeing the much-battered dictator. "Let's go find Robin," he said and stalked out the door.

* * *

Singh Manh Lee, his face a ruin, dripping blood from a dozen places, nevertheless started laughing when the heroes turned to leave. Batman shot one angry glance at him over his shoulder. Men who had just been beaten up by the Bat weren't supposed to laugh, they were supposed to cower in terror. Superman put a hand on Batman's shoulder, encouraging him through the door.

Lee continued to chuckle after they left. He didn't care that Batman had beaten him up again. He was still winning and Bruce Wayne hadn't figured that out yet. Let them search. The boy was safely tucked away. He moved stiffly to a panel in the wall and pressed a carved rosette.

* * *

Wally accompanied his uncle, the Flash and Green Arrow to 'take care of the guards'. What that really meant was wearing a small gas mask and throw the sleepy gas bombs on each floor of the palace, then watching the presidential guards crumple to the floor. So far there had been no sign of Dick Grayson.

"Come on," GA motioned down the fire stairs. "Let's try the basement. We've dosed the other floors." He took point and the two flashes followed down. At the bottom, then turned right down the single hallway and found the door to a large room. Once inside, Green Arrow turned the light on and all three stopped to stare, jaws dropping.

"Holy crap!" Wally breathed. "You told me this nut was obsessed with Robin but..."

"He's bent. That's for sure," Green Arrow said with eyes narrowed.

Flash was silent, taking in the photo gallery quietly. They'd all been told about Lee's 'shrine to Robin' but none of them had taken it seriously. But now, seeing it in person was another thing.

"He even taped him in action," Green Arrow said, pointing at the screen with the continuing loop of Robin. He turned around, looking at the collection of photos on the wall. "To get these, the General must have had somebody shadowing Robin for months. No wonder Batman is so freaked out about this," GA said grimly. "C'mon, let's keep looking for Robin."

The two followed him out the other door and Wally had to admit privately that, like Batman, he also was 'freaked out' by the whole thing.

As Green Arrow led the team from the room, Wally looked back over his shoulder. He knew that Robin had a higher profile than Kid Flash did, but the idea of somebody obsessing that much on one of the kid side-kicks wasn't anything he'd ever considered. He'd always thought that Batman was way too overprotective of Robin but now he wondered. Batman saw much darker things in Gotham than Uncle Barry usually dealt with. Maybe there was a reason for that protectiveness. He remembered the last time Robin had been left off a case and how much he'd complained about it.

"It's not like I'm an incompetent partner," Robin had groused on the phone with Wally. "And that's just it. I'm a _partner,_ not a side-kick! I've been doing this for five years! So why do I have to sit this one out, Wally?"

"I don't know, Rob," Wally had said, munching a handful of popcorn. "Maybe you screwed up last time and this is your punishment. I mean, we both know that the Bat is pretty perfectionistic."

"I didn't screw anything up," Robin grumbled. "And even Alfred is siding with him this time. I'm supposed to stay home, sharpen batarangs, clean the lab and then do my homework."

"Well, you said he was planning on going after Killer Croc. You should be glad you're not sewer-crawling tonight, dude," Wally shifted over to his pile of chocolate bars. "Awful stinky and you know how hard it is to get the smell out."

"That's not the point and you know it," Robin stuffed a piece of cookie into his own mouth. "Bethides...gedding durdy and thmelly ith part of the yob..."

Wally heard him take a swig of milk and burp a little.

"Anyway, I want to be out there. What if something happened to him because I wasn't there to watch his back?"

"Sounds like he's trying to watch yours this time, bro," Wally replied. "Maybe you better let him."

Wally had overheard Batman explaining this case, that Robin had forced Batman to let him go. He shook his head and resolved to listen the next time Uncle Barry wanted him off a case.

The little party had stopped at a cross-hallway lined with doors. Green Arrow gestured for the Flashes to check to the right while he checked the rooms to the left. Wally silently indicated to Flash that he'd start in the middle and work right. Uncle Barry nodded and went down the row.

Wally tried the door and it was locked. He grinned. He'd just mastered a new trick. He made his body vibrate and presto! Wally was through the door. It was a plain room with a twin bed and a boy asleep in it. Dark hair, lithe figure. "Dick?" Wally said without thinking. The boy rolled over, turning big blue eyes on him and propped himself up on his elbows.

"Who the hell are you?" Rufus Garret demanded. "And how did you get in here?"

Wally had to do a double-take before he realized that it wasn't Dick Grayson in the bed. "I'm Kid Flash. Who are you?"

"Kid Flash?" Rufus said with delight. "You're one of Dick's...I mean, Robin's friends! Hey, you've gotta help him. He's in big trouble." He levered himself up to a sitting position, groping for the crutch that leaned against the bed.

The door to the room burst open and both Green Arrow and the Flash came in. "I heard voices. Did you find him?" Flash asked, doing his own double-take.

"I'm Rufus Garret," the boy said. "You're looking for Dick Grayson, aren't you? I can help you find him. He's not in the palace anymore."

* * *

Batman and Superman searched the palace diligently, but found no sign of Robin. They tried questioning the servants, but all they got were wide-eyed looks and a babble of Rheelasian. Eventually, they simply tossed their gas pellets and stepped over the sleeping bodies.

By the third floor, Batman was getting impatient. "Superman, can you use your x-ray vision and try to see where he is?"

Superman glanced at his friend and took in the worry on his face. "I'll try." He focused his vision over his head and swept a long view across the ceiling. He blinked and tried again. Then he moved over a few steps and looked again, his expression stonier by the second. Finally, he sighed and put a hand on Batman's shoulder. "I'm sorry, but it's not working. This building is at least a hundred years old and the paint is lead-based. The piping is also made of lead. The combination is breaking up my vision so that I can't see anything clearly."

Batman sighed, then straightened again. "Okay, we'll keep doing this the old fashioned way."

"Wait, do you hear that?" Superman asked.

Batman listened carefully then heard the whap-whap sound of a helicopter starting up. "Lee! He's getting away. I don't know how he got to the helipad upstairs!" He broke into a run, followed by Superman. They reached the top floor and ran up the final stairs to the roof. The helicopter was hovering overhead and they heard Lee's voice on loud-speaker.

"Don't try to stop me. I still have your boy and if you interfere any further, you'll never see him again!" The helicopter moved away from the building.

Superman made as if to fly after but Batman grabbed him by the arm. "No. It's too dangerous. He's got Robin somewhere and he'll hurt him if we follow too obviously."

Superman sank back on his heels. "What good is super-strength and the ability to fly if you can't save your best friend's son?" he muttered.

Batman watched the helicopter fly away, arms folded over his chest. "Oh, we're not done with Lee yet. Not by a long shot," he said in a low, dangerous voice.

Batman's communicator pinged. "Yes?" he barked.

"We've got a lead. Meet us in the basement," Green Arrow said.

* * *

Both Batman and Superman ran down the stairs to meet the rest of the team in the doorway of the bedroom. The boy was now standing, propped up by a crutch. His face was dirty and his eyes had circles under them, but Batman recognized Rufus Garrett.

"You sold us out," Batman's angry words were barely audible.

Rufus looked visibly frightened, but stood straight and met Batman's furious gaze. "Yeah, I did. Then I changed my mind and tried to tell you, but it was too late..." His voice ran down before he drew another breath and started again. "Dick is my friend and I helped him after you got captured. He got away from the Generalissimo and I helped hide him."

"Why isn't he free, then? Where is he?" Batman demanded, edging closer to the boy.

Rufus stood his ground. "He found a helicopter on the roof and was coming back to get me. I was fighting with the guards and Robin helped me." He looked up at Batman, blue eyes tearing up. "We were winning! Then Generalissimo Lee showed up with more soldiers." He scrubbed at an eye and looked imploringly at Batman. "I know where he is, though. I can help you find him."

Batman was momentarily rattled by those blue eyes and they boy's uncanny resemblance to Dick. Unconsciously, he gentled his voice and manner. "Where is he? Can you show us where?"

"Yeah," Rufus said. "At Lee's Summerhouse. He says he likes to go there to relax." The last was said with scorn. "It's a couple miles outside the city."

* * *

Robin huddled in his cell. Rather than sit on the frigid stone floor, he leaned against the wall with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor. That way, there was always some fabric, such as it was, between his body and the chill. The sunlight had moved away from the tiny window, leaving him in shadow. He was freezing cold, grateful that he still had gauntlets protecting his hands, he missed that stupid silk cape. He'd spent the last two hours doing calisthenics and every exercise he could think of to keep warm. It had worked for a while but he was hungry and thirsty...so very thirsty. Can't think about that, he reminded himself. Batman was really big on mind techniques; he'd taught him once how to overcome hunger and cold, if he could only remember it...It was hard to concentrate. Robin stood upright and started to pace, trying to bring some feeling to his numbing toes. Batman could do this, easy. He had to stop worrying and keep fighting...He looked up at the walls of the cell yet again, trying to find a way out. The window was just an arrow slit. Even a skinny kid like Robin couldn't get through. The door? He ran for it and aimed a kick dead center and bounced back. Again. Still solid.

The room was getting dark. He hadn't had anything to eat since the day before and didn't remember the last time he'd drunk anything. He couldn't give in, not to a monster like Lee. He wasn't going to sell himself out for a meal. He just had to survive until Batman could get here. He remembered Bruce telling him about monks who could slow their bodily functions to put themselves in a kind of coma. They didn't feel cold or need food while in the trance. And Bruce had explained just how to do it, too. He'd practiced the beginning stages but never induced the full trance. Well, no time like the present...

Shuddering at the cold, he sat down in the lotus position. He spared a brief worry about what the Generalissimo would do with his untenanted body while he was out, but decided it wasn't worth worrying about. He was going to survive this and spit in his eye. He closed his eyes, and, remembering Bruce's instructions began to control his breathing...


	25. A Little Bird Flies Free

CHAPTER 25

Batman considered Rufus for a moment, still caught by the uncanny resemblance. "Okay. You'll show us where." He turned to Superman. "If you can carry me, the Flash can carry Green Arrow and you, Wallace," he turned to Wally, who was dancing from foot to foot. "You carry Rufus, here and lead the way. We'll get there fast!"

The group left the palace, Superman flying low to keep close to the Flashes. All was well and they were making good speed until they got into the countryside. Lee had clearly called out an entire garrison. A hundred soldiers with artillery blocked the road.

Superman came to ground behind a small rise, setting Batman down. "I can fly over this, but the Flashes would have to go through," he said to the rest of the team as they arrived.

Batman stolidly watched the small army waiting for them, anxious to get going. "We don't have time for this."

"We can go around them," Kid Flash said. "If we do, can you still find the place?" he asked Rufus.

Rufus scanned the countryside and bit his lip. Finally, he nodded. "I think so. Yeah, I can find it. But we'd better get going soon; it's not a good place." He frowned a little, remembering.

Batman caught his expression. "All right. Rufus, you're still in the lead and we'll follow. Let's make a northerly loop around the armed forces and double back."

The team set out again, circling far to the north and then back to the south.

* * *

SUMMER HOUSE

Robin sat on the cold, cold, chilling floor and kept working at his breathing. When Batman explained, it had seemed so simple but he just wasn't getting it. Thoughts, worries...okay, fears kept intruding on a mind that was supposed to be focused and yet blank. Bruce was all the way off in Gotham, trying to put together the first payment to Lee; transferring most of his holdings to the dictator. It would take him days to raise that kind of money. Signing over his stock would take more time. Dick was on his own; really on his own. Terror, pushed below the surface of his mind, stood between him and the perfect calm he needed for this to work. Lee would think he was dead if he did this right, or at the very least, comatose. He didn't think Lee was a necrophiliac. He'd keep Dick's body alive for the ransom value, if nothing else.

If this didn't work, he'd be here getting hungrier, thirstier and colder. Thirst was the first problem, if not the cold. Any of these could render him helpless to defend himself. Drugs were a possibility, too, like Lee had tried that first night. Terror, pushed below the surface of his mind, rose to stand between him and the perfect calm he needed for this to work. Resolutely, he pushed it into the background. Again. Batman could be icy calm in the middle of deadly danger; he had to do it too, somehow. Thing was, he wasn't as calm as Batman was when looking disaster in the eye. He controlled his body's need to shiver and focused again. He had to keep fighting and stay alive until Bruce could get here.

Unless he gave in and let Lee have what he wanted.

No. Not an option. He had to stay alive...and whole...until Bruce could get here. Heart was racing and his breathing was getting faster. This totally wasn't working. Try again.

* * *

SUMMER HOUSE-PRESIDENT'S SUITE

Lee stood in front of a large, flat-screen monitor, watching a young boy sitting in the lotus position. What on earth was he doing? Some form of Bat-meditation? Still, he could see the boy trying to control his shivering, so the cold was having some effect. He sighed to himself. Had this been any other boy, one of his imitation Robins, he'd have resorted to physical persuasion by now. But this, the gem of his possessions, mustn't be damaged. The real, true Robin at last... Like a delicate Sevres vase, he must be coddled, kept carefully.

"Ouch! You hurt me!" Lee snapped at the physician who was setting his nose.

"I'm sorry, Beloved Leader, but you do want your nose to set straight," the doctor said. "I've dressed all the cuts and you have an ice pack for the bruises. Once I've finished stitching the cuts in your cheek..."

"Enough! Leave me alone," Lee said indistinctly but still understandable. "Is the helicopter on standby?"

"Yes sir," said another man. "Your secretary said to tell you that the bank books for your Swiss and Cayman Island accounts have been packed in case of emergency."

"Good. I don't believe that Batman and company know our current location, but if I need to leave in a hurry it is good to be prepared." Lee stared at the placid expression of the boy, apparently meditating in his dungeon. Blast! He'd known that Robin was specially trained, but he'd never considered that the brat couldn't be broken. He, normally the most patient of men, was coming to the end of his perseverance. Well, he was done with that. He turned to his assistant. "Bring him to me. I don't want any resistance from the boy. Make sure he's well-sedated." Lee said without taking his eyes from the screen, thinking hard. No more coddling, his star possession might be a little chipped in the process of being made usable. He snorted at the analogy. "Bring guards, armed. You have my permission to shoot an extremity if necessary. Try not to mar his face."

Robin, still sitting on the floor, finally let his breath go in a long sigh. Not working. He couldn't focus enough to induce the next stage of the trance. And he was so thirsty. He tried to work up some spit but his mouth was too dry. Okay, next plan. He slowly got up and deliberately went through a series of stretches. His energy level was down. Not surprising. He hadn't slept last night either. Probably the best thing to do was try to sleep through as much of this as possible. He found the farthest corner of the room and sat knees to chest, resting his head against the wall and drifted into sleep.

He was home, eating Alfred's chocolate chip cookies and drinking big glasses of water when the dream was abruptly broken by the sound of men's voices and heavy boots. He sprang to his feet as the locked door crashed open and the room filled with armed men. No, not all of them were armed. One man had a big syringe in one hand.

Robin could guess what that was for and he wasn't taking any more of this. He ran and did a handspring over the first row of guards, aiming kicks while his legs were suspended. They'd left the door open! He headed for that, grabbed the shoulders of one soldier and did a back flip over him, elbowed two more and was at the door. Up the stairs past two openmouthed guards with half a dozen more on his tail, he ran through another door.

The corridor was relatively clear with large windows. He hauled one open and leapt down the ten feet to the icy ground and ran for it. He heard the spang of bullets hitting the dirt behind him. So, Lee wasn't trying to keep him alive any more. That was bad if he got caught again. Well, he wasn't getting caught. He heard more bullets whining past his ears and tried to pick up speed.

He heard the boots thudding behind him. He thought that these soldiers were fitter than the ones at the palace. He was slowing...no food or water in the last 30 hours. He had to get away...had to!

Breathlessly, he looked up and saw a small group of brightly clad people in the distance. Batman! Superman! The Flash and Wally and Green Arrow! They were here! For him! Grinning, he tried to put on another burst of speed when he heard a *bang* and felt a hammer hit him, driving him into the dirt. No! NO! He was crying to himself as the dark rose up and took him in.

* * *

"There it is," Rufus said into Kid Flash's ear from his position piggyback on the other boy's back.

"That's a summer house?" Kid Flash asked dubiously, while Superman and the Flash drew up next to them.

"It's what Lee calls it," Rufus said, climbing down and retrieving his crutch. "In the Presidential Palace, there are too many sympathetic servants to get in the way, so he mostly controls himself there. He likes to come here for the privacy. He never keeps many servants here and there's nobody to notice...noises. "

Wally stiffened, then turned to Batman. "What's the plan?"

"Do you see him?" Batman asked Superman, who had been scanning the castle.

Superman's face grew even more intent. "I'm looking...There! Below ground level, he's sitting down. Wait...Men coming into his cell, they're fighting, Robin's running. He's out the door..." Superman's grew intent. "Follow me!" He took off, leaving the rest of the group to run after.

As they approached the castle, they saw a small figure dressed in red and green sprinting away from the building, followed by soldiers. The Flashes put on a burst of speed, as did Superman. They were still yards away when they saw one of the soldiers raise a rifle to his eye, take aim and fire.

The small figure dropped to the ground.

"Nooooooo!" Batman howled and ran faster. The Flash and Kid Flash got to the boy first, followed by Superman, who kept the bullets off while Flash gathered him up and raced back to Batman.

The Flash found Rufus and Batman plastered flat behind a small rise. Batman rose a bit when Flash lay Robin down in the dust.

"He's alive," Flash said breathlessly. "It's a leg wound, bleeding freely but I don't know how bad."

Batman pulled a roll of gauze from his utility belt and wrapped it tightly around the boy's left leg. "Take him back to the zeta beam and get him to the Watchtower. We'll clean up here. Go!"

Flash nodded and sped off as Kid Flash arrived. At his questioning look, Batman replied, "Robin's alive. Flash is taking him to the Watchtower. Where's Superman?"

"He's got the guards pretty scared," Wally said. "I've never seen him so mad! I think he went after Lee." He turned to Batman. "Supes wouldn't...uh...kill Lee would he? I mean, he looked really angry."

Batman looked thoughtful. "I really don't know, Wallace. But let's get to the castle. I've got a score or two to settle with Generalissimo Lee. Can you carry Rufus?"

"Sure," Kid Flash said and a silent Rufus climbed on his back again.


	26. Pulling the Viper's Fangs

CHAPTER 26

SUMMER HOUSE

Superman plowed through the building, intent on reaching the room that held Singh Manh Lee. Frightened guards and servants scattered in his wake. He burst through the door to find Lee frantically packing a suitcase with what looked like foreign currency, euros, Superman noted when looked more closely.

Superman's face took on a look of disgust as he focused a heat beam on the stacks of paper. A flicker of flame shot up and the whole suitcase went up in flames. Lee backed away and tried to flee, but found Superman blocking the only exit.

Lee took one look at Superman and began to back away with both hands up. "I don't have any problem with you, Superman..." he said uncertainly.

Superman advanced on him. "I think that you do. You've hurt the son of a good friend..."

Lee's face changed to a look of intense frustration. "I haven't laid a hand on the boy. I swear!"

"Oh, but you'd like to, I can see it in your eyes," Superman said softly, face hardening. "In any case, Robin's condition remains to be seen. And that doesn't take into account the boys you have abused; the children you've trafficked. The blot on the face of humanity that you represent."

"You aren't going to kill me, are you?" Lee's eyes darted around the room, past the still-blazing suitcase, looking for escape.

"No, I'm not," Superman said, arms folded. "Although it's what you deserve. I'm going to make you a promise and I always keep my promises." His eyebrows drew together. "You have some information about Batman and Robin. You are going to keep that to yourself and make absolutely NO attempt to use it against them."

"Y..you mean, that Bruce Wayne is Batman...?" Lee stuttered, backed against the stone wall.

"Yes, that's what I mean," Superman's voice had softened to a whisper. "You will tell no one. You will not use that information for any purpose whatsoever. And, most importantly," Superman leaned in, eyes boring into Lee's. "You will leave Robin strictly and completely alone. You will not approach him, contact him, photograph or film him, fantasize about him or collect any image of him. No children will imitate him for your entertainment. For you, he will not exist. Is that understood?" The Man of Steel's voice had diminished to a hiss while the muscles of his neck corded in rage.

Lee gulped. "Understood." Then his face grew crafty. "You're like Batman. You don't kill. How do you plan to make me keep my word?"

Superman merely stared at him. "I have information sources you don't even know about. If I hear that you've broken or even bent any part of our agreement, I'll be here in five minutes to take it out of you. For starters," he said, eyes glowing. "I'll break both your legs and make it physically impossible for you to carry out any of your plans for that boy. Secondly, that United Nations membership you cherish so much? I will absolutely ensure that it is withdrawn, and with it all the aid money you want. You know that I can do it. I have the influence and the moral authority."

Lee hesitated. "Why do you care so much for one boy?" he finally got out. "You want him for yourself?"

Superman's right hand drew into a fist, but he consciously held back the blow. "You would never understand. He's the child of my best friend and like a son to me. You hurt him and... I...will...know!" With each word, he punched the stone wall next to Lee's ear, each blow leaving a deeper hole in the rock. "Do you agree?"

Lee's face whitened with each punch. "Y...yes. I agree. Just leave me alone..."

Superman backed away, face still angry. "See that you do."

The door behind him opened. Batman, Green Arrow entered the room, followed by Kid Flash and Rufus.

Batman noted the recent hole in the stone wall and the shivering Lee. "Conferring with Generalissimo Lee?" Batman said mildly.

"You overheard?" Superman asked without taking his eyes from Lee.

Batman nodded.

"How is Robin?" Superman asked.

"Bullet in the leg. Flash is taking him to the Watchtower," Batman said, tension in every line of his body. "I'd like to spend some time with President Lee..."

"And so would I," Green Arrow added.

"Wait a minute, you said you wouldn't hurt me if I agreed not to give away Batman's identity!" Lee said in fright, eyeing both Batman and Green Arrow.

"You also promised to forget Robin's very existence," Superman added. "I did promise Lee safety."

They all heard a loud snort and turned to see where it came from. Rufus stumped forward. "He gets safety? Me. What do I get? That bastard abused me for months, then he took my leg! He took my innocence, my entire life! What's left for me?" Rufus demanded, tears running down his face, unnoticed.

"I think that Rufus has a point," Superman agreed. "Well, Lee? What does Rufus get?"

Lee's mouth opened, but no sound came out.

Batman smiled a hard smile. "I can make a suggestion," he said, striding over to a side table where an open briefcase sat. "Reparations won't give him his leg back, but can help rehabilitate him." He picked up a couple of bank books, stamped with the names of two Cayman Island banks and looked at the totals. "This should cover it." He handed the books to Rufus. "It isn't nearly enough for what you've lost, but it's a start and will make you independent." He eyed the boy closely. "You don't want to go back to Gotham, do you?"

Rufus' hand closed around the bank books. "No. Not Gotham. Not ever Gotham again."

"Aren't you going to arrest him or something?" Wally demanded. "I mean...after what he did to Robin! Batman, you haven't even hit him!"

Batman's stare focused on Generalissimo Lee. "I tried hitting him. It didn't help. Lee presents a problem, Kid Flash. If we arrested him, whom would we take him to? He's a foreign head of state whose crimes have been committed on foreign soil."

"But...but Rob..." Kid Flash's glance ranged from Batman to Superman to Green Arrow.

"Robin is safe, now," Batman said, his expression frozen. "Trust me, if there were some further action I could take on Robin's behalf, I would. I think it's time we left, now." He turned to Rufus. "How about we drop you off in Metropolis?"

Clutching the bank books, Rufus glared at Lee. "You're just going to leave him?"

"We can't do much else," Superman said with a sigh. "We're bound by law, Rufus. If we weren't, we'd be just like him," he gestured with his shoulder at the dictator still cornered against the wall.

Rufus shrugged and turned his back on Lee. "I'll go with you. I never want to see that man's face again."

Together the group left the Summer House and made their way back to the tea warehouse and the zeta platform. Superman began programming it for Metropolis when Batman put his hand out and stopped him. "Let's go to the Watchtower first," Batman said. "Rufus, would you like to see Robin one last time?"

Rufus grinned, his face lighting up. "Yeah! I'd like that!"

Superman was about to protest that Rufus wasn't Justice League, then caught a low whisper from Batman, "Go with me on this one."

Silently, the Kryptonian nodded and changed the setting. A few minutes later, the group stepped off the pad into the Watchtower. Batman led Rufus to the Medical Center.

"Dr. Mid-Nite," Batman said. "This is Rufus Garrett. I was wondering whether Dr. Stone is here today."

"Silas? I think he's in his lab," Dr. Mid-Nite said. "Why?"

"I'd like Silas to evaluate this young man for a new prosthetic leg." Batman laid a hand on Rufus' shoulder.

"I don't think I want a fake leg," Rufus muttered. "They never work right."

"This one would be very special," Batman said. "Dr. Stone is a master with prosthetics. With one of his, you'd be able to do everything on the replacement leg you could do with the original, maybe more." He paused, looking Rufus up and down. "What is it you'd like to do with your life, Rufus?"

Rufus was silent a moment, clearly deciding whether to tell this adult the entire truth. Finally, he glared defiantly up at Batman. "Okay, you really want to know? I want to do what Robin does. I want to do what you do. And Superman and Green Arrow and the Flash! But I want to do it for the children in Rheelasia, the kids who are kidnapped into brothels like I was. They don't have anybody to protect them because the people who are in charge of the red light district run the country and nobody is willing to stand up to them!"

Batman didn't look surprised at Rufus' outburst. "Are you serious about this? It's a lifetime work and I should know."

"Yeah, I'm serious," Rufus said in a dejected tone. "But I'm nothing special. I don't have super powers." He tapped his knee. "I don't even have a leg!"

"Robin and I don't have super powers," Batman said easily. "But we manage. Mostly, it's a matter of training and dedication. I think I can supply the training if you have the dedication. How about it?"

"You really think I could be as good as Robin?" Rufus asked, eyes hopeful.

"You have the potential," Batman said. "Go in to see Dr. Stone and let's see what he can do for you. We'll talk more, later. I'll be in visiting Robin."

"Okay, Batman," Rufus said brightly, looking so much like Dick that Batman's heart ached. "I won't disappoint you!"

He waited until the boy was through the door, then turned back to the Medical Center. Now to find out what, if anything, Lee had done to his boy. Dr. Mid-Nite was waiting for him.

"Batman, I assume you'd like a status on Robin's injuries?" he said cheerfully.

"Yes. You understand, it isn't just the gunshot wound that concerns me..." Batman said uncertainly.

"I do understand. The Flash gave me the background." Mid-Nite's lips pursed. "I've given him a full examination and there's no physical evidence of sexual assault," Mid-Nite concluded. "You understand, Robin has been unconscious since he was brought in. We had to operate to get the bullet out and he's still under the anesthesia. You, or someone will need to ask him what happened while he was a captive." Seeing Batman's chin drop, Mid-Nite added, "We do have competent therapists who can work with the two of you if it's needed." He straightened and began to speak more briskly. "The bullet hit Robin's left leg and lodged next to the femoral artery. A quarter inch over and it would be a different story. Suffice it to say, we've removed the bullet and repaired the damage. He'll need to stay off it for a bit, then start physical therapy to build the strength back. I know that you are well trained in therapeutic modalities and can handle that yourselves." Mid-Nite shifted position a bit. "Robin was also very dehydrated and somewhat malnourished. The IV should help with the dehydration, but tell Alfred that he needs to build the boy up a bit. Some of his marvelous meals will do the trick."

"Alfred will be happy to feed him up," Batman smiled. "And the physical therapy shouldn't pose any problems. We've done this sort of thing before." He turned toward the door to Robin's room. "I think I'll sit with him for a while. I'll advise you if any more...treatment...is needed."

"By all means," Dr. Mid-Nite said sympathetically, holding the door open. Batman slipped in to find the chair by Robin's bedside already occupied by Wally.

Rather than shooing him off, Batman pulled another one close and sat next to him in silence. Robin's leg was bandaged and propped up on a pillow, his arm attached to various IV lines. He looked pale and small in the bed, the few freckles scattered across his cheeks stood out against his pallor.

"I guess Rob will be out of action for a while," Wally mused. "Who'd have thought it all started with a dumb school for juvenile delinquents." Wally stole a look at the Bat sitting next to him. "You...um...don't think anything really happened, do you? With Lee, I mean?"

Batman sighed and pulled his cowl back, then rubbed tired eyes. "I don't know what to think, Wally. Dick was unprotected in Lee's hands for almost twenty four hours. You saw that room of his. Dick is the only one who can answer that question."

For the first time, Wally saw the unconquerable Bat looking vulnerable. It was...unsettling. The sun rose in the morning, the sky was blue and Batman was invincible. He began to comprehend that much of Batman's strength came from his relationship with his young partner. If anything happened to Robin, the Bat might crumble. This was even worse than unsettling, it was downright frightening. "I...think I'll get something to eat," he said and stood up. Batman remained silent, his eyes focused on Robin's sleeping face. Wally slipped out, planning to find Superman or somebody, just in case.

After a few minutes, Dick began to wake up. He didn't remember when he was last so comfortable. The bed was soft and warm, almost as good as his bed at the Manor. He felt comfortable until he tried to move and realized that one of his arms was pinned down. Lee! His eyes flew open in panic and he tried to pull away. Strong hands held him down and he fought harder.

"It's okay, it's okay Dick," a familiar voice repeated. "You're safe. You're in the Watchtower."

Dick's blue eyes fastened on Bruce's familiar face, bending over him. He'd pulled off his cowl and looked so tired, his face lined and bags under his eyes. "Bruce?" Dick asked and let himself relax.

Bruce let go except for a single hand on his boy's shoulder. "It's okay, Dick. We're in the Watchtower. Dr. Mid-Nite treated your leg and you're on the mend."

Dick looked down and saw that his left leg was surrounded by bandages. "Oh...yeah, that's right. Somebody shot me." He looked up at Batman. "That's right. You were there, on the hill and I was running towards you. Then..." He looked puzzled, still muzzy from the sedation.

"One of Lee's men shot you," Batman said patiently. "Can you tell me what happened before that?"

Dick thought for a moment, becoming more awake. "They sent you back to Gotham, then took me back downstairs to have 'dinner' with Lee." He shuddered. "I wouldn't eat, so Lee sent me to his bedroom..." He looked down at the coverlet.

Batman felt himself tense and forced his voice to softness. "What happened, Dick?"

Dick paled, then remembered that this was Batman. They always had a debrief after a mission. Right. He took a breath and began to give his account in an unemotional voice, still not looking at Bruce. "Lee came in after his dinner and...and began to approach me. He...uh...unfastened my cape and approached me...um...beginning to undress himself. I..." Dick said, finally meeting Bruce's anguished eyes. "I kneed him in the 'nads and ran." Still pale, he gave Bruce the ghost of an impudent grin. "I found Rufus out in the hallway and he showed me where to hide. After a while, we heard the guards searching the building, really searching it. I decided that I was endangering him by drawing the searchers, so I left our hiding place and found my way to the roof where there was a helicopter, all fueled up. I went back to find Rufus and found him fighting the guards. I tried to help and we both got caught." He bit his lip.

"And?" Bruce prompted.

"Lee showed up and had me taken to the Summer House and Rufe locked up. I was there until the soldiers came again; they were gonna drug me but I got out and ran for it. The rest you know." Dick said, finishing.

Bruce suspected that much of the detail had been purposely left out, but he'd get that later. "All right, Dick. I just have one question to ask you and I hope you'll give me an honest answer. Did...Lee _do_ anything to you?"

Dick looked puzzled, then said, "What? You mean like sex? No. NO! Bruce, I'm fine. He threatened a lot but I...I'm okay. Really." He looked back down at the blankets again. "Somehow, because I was the real Robin, he treated me differently. I think...I was lucky. If I'd been just a little less..." He finally met Bruce's gaze with eyes gone older than their years. "It was a pretty close thing."

Bruce gave a long exhale and leaned in to gather his child close. Gratefully, Robin hugged him fiercely back. "We both were lucky, chum," Bruce said, chin on the top of Dick's head. For his part, Dick simply burrowed in and started shaking. Bruce wrapped his cape around the boy and let him cry.

* * *

The weeks that followed were difficult ones in the Wayne household. Alfred looked concerned while Bruce's face took on a grim expression. Robin refused to discuss Generalissimo Lee and Bruce knew that the boy was having nightmares, although he wouldn't talk about that either. After patrol, Bruce took to standing near the boy's bedroom, listening for the sounds of Dick having nightmares. He wasn't sure what he'd do about it until the night he heard Dick scream.

Dick himself had come to dread the nights. Until his leg was healed up, he couldn't go out on patrol as Robin, so he was left behind at the Manor. He did his homework, then lay in bed staring at the ceiling, willing himself to stay awake. He always dropped off and always had the nightmare; it was always the same. In the dream, he was sleeping peacefully, then woke when somebody got into the bed next to him and touched him. In the dream he woke, to find himself naked in a bed covered with a dark velvet spread, lying next to Singh Manh Lee, who was caressing him.

Dick always shot awake, sitting upright in his own bed, trying desperately not to make noise because it would bring Bruce or Alfred running in. He didn't understand why he was panicking now; it made no sense. He'd fought Lee off! The man was half a world away and couldn't get to him now. Superman and Batman had both reassured him about that. He held his head in his hands and knew in his heart that Lee wasn't done with him. You didn't kill an obsession like that, especially when the man was so powerful.

He heard a tap on his door. "Dick? Are you awake?" Bruce opened the door and saw Dick huddled, head in hands. He came in swiftly and sat down on the side of the bed, gathering the boy close to him with an arm around his shoulders. "What's wrong? Nightmare?"

Busted. Dick nodded. "Yeah," he said, looking down, ashamed.

"You've been having the same one since we got back from Rheelasia, haven't you?" Bruce asked gently.

"How did you know?" Dick looked up with eyes that had half-moons under them.

"I've been hearing you cry out," Bruce replied, noting that the circles on Dick's face were getting deeper. "You haven't been able to sleep much. Care to talk about it?"

Dick shrugged himself away from Bruce's arm. "I can handle it," he said firmly.

"Dick, I know you insisted that Lee never..." Bruce began but was interrupted by Dick.

"No! He didn't. He didn't do ANYTHING which is why these dreams are so stupid! I dream about the things that might have happened but didn't. Bruce, I defeated him. I got away! So why do I have the same nightmare every night?" He scrubbed at his eyes and looked at Bruce with terror. "Every night I dream that I'm in his bed. With him. And I'm powerless. But I'm not. I'm safe, here, with you! I know that."

Bruce grabbed him again and held him close. "You are safe, Dick. I'll kill him before I let Lee near you again. You know that, don't you?"

"Tell my subconscious that," Dick's voice was muffled in Bruce's bathrobe. "It knows...and I know...that Lee is still out there in Rheelasia."

Bruce got up and pulled a chair near the bed. "How about I stay until you're asleep again?"

"You really don't need to do that," Dick said, but had already lain back in his bed. He yawned, suddenly sleepy.

Bruce turned out the light. "I'll just stay until you're resting well."

" 'K...if you really want to..." Dick muttered and was gone. Bruce finally left Dick's room near dawn, when he was satisfied that the boy wouldn't have another nightmare.

* * *

SIX DAYS LATER

THE DAILY PLANET-HEADLINE: PRESIDENT OF RHEELASIA ANNOUNCES AMERICA VISIT

BYLINE: LOIS LANE

Singh Manh Lee, President of the People's Republic of Rheelasia has announced an extended American goodwill tour in celebration of Rheelasia's new membership in the United Nations. Said President Lee, "I simply want to thank the people of this great country for supporting our admission. During the tour, I will be opening a series of youth centers for the children of America because, without it's young people a country is nothing." When asked about personal plans for the trip, Lee smiled and said, "I am especially looking forward to renewing an old friendship in Gotham City."

The tour is expected to begin in Gotham City in two months and progress westward.

* * *

Bruce Wayne was careful to hide the newspaper from Dick's enquiring eyes. The boy still wasn't eating well, although his leg was healing well. He sipped at his coffee while his son picked at his cereal.

"Dick, I wanted to mention to you, I have to take a business trip to Japan; I'm flying out tonight. Will you be okay here without me?" Bruce asked, watching Dick's face carefully.

A look of dismay crossed the boy's face and was quickly covered with a bland expression. "Uh...okay, I guess. How long will you be gone?"

"Master Dick, if you would rather have eggs and bacon, I can prepare them for you," Alfred asked solicitously, noting the pile of soggy mush in Dick's bowl.

"No, I'm good, Alfie," Dick replied, clearly trying to shovel some food into his mouth. "So, where is it this time, Bruce?"

"Tokyo," Bruce replied. "I shouldn't be gone more than a week. If you have any more nightmares..."

"Yeah, I know...Call Alfred," Dick said glumly. "I'm not a baby, Bruce. I should be able to handle this by myself."

"It will get better, Dick," Bruce said, putting down his napkin. He paused to ruffle Dick's hair before picking up his briefcase. "I promise."

* * *

TEN DAYS LATER

THE DAILY PLANET-HEADLINE: Dictator Injured in Skiing Accident

BYLINE: CLARK KENT

Sung Manh Lee, President of the People's Republic of Rheelasia was seriously injured while on a skiing vacation. His spokesman has reported that the President, who has been in office for the past ten years after inheriting it from his father Un Manh Lee, had elected to ski by himself on an expert slope without the usual companionship of his bodyguards.

Lee is reported to have struck a tree on the slope and fractured the vertebra in his back at the C5 level, resulting in total paralysis below the waist and partial paralysis above. Although Lee is known to have various enemies opposed to his totalitarian regime, no foul play is suspected.

* * *

RHEELASIA-

With great satisfaction, Batman watched the emergency crews hauling President Lee up the hillside. He'd kept to his code and hadn't killed the monster. Batman glanced again at the photo he'd taken from Lee: Robin, age ten, grinning broadly as he swung from a building. He put it into his utility belt and slipped away.

* * *

EPILOGUE

SIX MONTHS LATER

The Hamilton School for Boys was shut down after a police raid revealed that the directors of the school were supplying minors for local brothels and were trafficking selected youth internationally. Both directors were indicted and later tried for kidnapping and human trafficking. They are currently serving time in Federal Prison.

Richard Grayson's file was sealed by court order, as was his testimony to the Nevada Grand Jury. He was released into the care of his guardian and his juvenile record expunged on motion of the District Attorney in the interest of justice.

* * *

EIGHT MONTHS LATER

Rufus Garrett won emancipation from his parents at the age of fifteen and lived in Metropolis, attending school at the Metropolitan Academy. During his teens, he achieved black belts in karate and judo, combining those fighting styles with variants of capoeira and kung Fu. He attributed the fluidity of his style to the artificial bionic leg designed by Dr. Elias Stone and sponsored by WayneTech, which was fitted to him and maintained by S.T.A.R. Labs.

During this time, he studied and became fluent in Rheelasian, Mandarin, Cantonese and Japanese.

* * *

EIGHT YEARS LATER

TOKYO, JAPAN

Rufus Garrett was a little nervous on meeting with the new Batman of Gotham City. This was to be his final exam before being accepted into the organization of vigilantes called Batman Incorporated. The dojo was quite large by Tokyo standards, and immaculately kept. He'd heard a lot about the new Batman and looked forward to sparring with him. He ran his hand down his new armored suit, a black kevlar/nomex weave with a bright green bat insignia on the chest. He adjusted the mask that covered his eyes. Wouldn't do to lose that.

"Well, Rufe," said the young Gotham Batman with a grin. "Are you ready for a workout?"

"Am I ever," Rufus said, grinning back. "So, Bruce sent you for my final exam, huh?" He pulled the staff from his back, swinging it at the Batman. "Not as handy as my crutch, but I can make it work." Batman wasn't there when the staff struck.

"Gotta move faster than that," Batman taunted with a cackle from behind him. "C'mon, Rufe, I know you've been getting ready for this." The circling began again. "Amazing that Lee's still running Rheelasia," Batman commented.

"From a wheelchair," Rufus lunged again, tripping Batman and tangling him in his own cape. He heard a muffled "damn it!" before Batman brought him down and yanked the cape from his hand. Rufus was undaunted. "I'm going to make life miserable for him. The trafficking has only increased over the years!" He panted to a stop, then deployed the staff again.

"You've worked hard to get ready for this," Batman noted as he avoided Rufus' next attempt to trip him up, again reaching for the cape. "Bruce told you about my trouble with capes, didn't he?"

Rufus grinned. "He told me you called it a kevlar ball gown." He anticipated Batman's rush and used his opponent's momentum to back flip over him. "Good thing Mr. Tan taught me how a Robin fights."

Laughing, Batman called time and pulled his cowl back. "I think you're good enough to turn loose on the criminals of Rheelasia," Dick Grayson said with blue eyes sparkling.

Rufus pulled the mask off and leaned against the wall. "Finally, the mission starts. It's been long enough."

"Yeah, and child-trafficking is more entrenched than ever," Batman commented seriously. "You'll be doing a lot of good."

"I'm just sorry that Generalissimo Lee is still in power," Rufus growled. "Batman may have pulled his teeth, but that monster still has money and influence."

"But at least he's stopped collecting Robins," Batman said in the same tone. "So, if you need anything, financial or physical support, you know who to call." Dick Grayson walked forward and shook Rufus' hand. "You've earned this Rufe. You are formally assigned to be the Batman of Rheelasia and its environs as the Jade Bat. Welcome to Batman Incorporated!"


End file.
